{"id":24432,"date":"2026-10-27T11:26:38","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T11:26:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/27\/first-evzones-visit-in-80-years\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T11:26:38","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T11:26:38","slug":"first-evzones-visit-in-80-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/27\/first-evzones-visit-in-80-years\/","title":{"rendered":"First Evzones Visit in 80 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"


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CANBERRA, Tuesday 27 October 2026 \u2014 Six Evzones of the Hellenic Presidential Guard visited the Greek Embassy in Canberra on Tuesday, the first time the Guard has been to the embassy in its 80 years.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Evzones\u2019 visit to the Greek Embassy in Canberra is also their first to the city. The Hellenic Club of Canberra said<\/a> the Guard\u2019s OXI Day program on Wednesday 28 October is its first official visit.<\/p>\n

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Community guests and officials with the Evzones. Photo: Nick Bourdaniotis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Hellenic Club of Canberra is the event sponsor of the Guard\u2019s Canberra visit. The Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra hosts the Evzones.<\/p>\n

John Loukadellis, president of the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra, spoke before the visit. \u201cTheir presence will be truly historic in Canberra,\u201d<\/em> he said.<\/p>\n

Read more: Where to See the Evzones in Sydney and Canberra This OXI Day<\/p>\n

Guests at the Greek Embassy in Canberra<\/h3>\n

Ambassador of Greece to Australia, Stavros Venizelos, hosted the guests at the Embassy. Guests included Stergitsa Zamagias-Hill, CEO of The Hellenic Initiative Australia (THI), and Steve Kartsonas, president of the Hellenic Club of Canberra.<\/p>\n

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Guests and the Evzones gather on the embassy steps. Photo: Nick Bourdaniotis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Greece\u2019s Ambassador to Australia, Stavros Venizelos, addresses invited guests. Photo: Nick Bourdaniotis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Arthur Spyrou, first assistant secretary for protocol and international visits at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, also attended. Spyrou previously served as Australian Ambassador to Greece.<\/p>\n

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Organizers of the Hellenic Presidential Guard Visit in 2026: John Loukadellis. Photo: Father Petros Kipouros<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Father Petros Kipouros, parish priest of St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Kingston, took part as well. The Evzones then attend Divine Liturgy at his church on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Stergitsa Zamagias-Hill, chief executive officer of The Hellenic Initiative Australia, was also present. Marinis Pirpiris from Victoria attended too. Pirpiris is a director of South Melbourne Hellas and secretary of the Greek Community of Melbourne.<\/p>\n

Video of the Evzones at the Greek Embassy in Canberra, filmed by Nick Bourdaniotis, is below.<\/p>\n

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