The Mayor of Florina, Vasilis Giannakis, and His Eminence Metropolitan Irenaios will extend their official Australian tour to Melbourne as part of a series of community engagements aimed at reinforcing links with the Greek diaspora. The Florina delegation’s Melbourne visit strengthens diaspora links as they will be in Melbourne from 20 January 2026 to 27 January 2026, as part of the wider visit running from 15 to 31 January.
Key Melbourne events planned
According to the published itinerary:
- Tuesday, 20 January 2026 – Arrival in Melbourne.
- Wednesday, 21 January (7pm) – Official Welcome Reception hosted by the Pan-Macedonian Association of Melbourne and Victoria in Clifton Hill, recognising strong community ties and diasporic identity.
- Thursday, 22 January – Visits to the Hellenic Museum, the Consulate General of the Hellenic Republic in Melbourne, and engagements with the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria. They will also meet with mayors of Greek descent from local councils including Manningham, Brimbank and Darebin.
- Friday, 23 January – Free programme for delegates.
- Saturday, 24 January – Religious observances including the Divine Liturgy at Sts Cyril and Methodius Church (Preston) and a Vespers service and fundraising event at St Panteleimon Church (Dandenong).
- Sunday, 25 January – Divine Liturgy at The Transfiguration of Our Lord Church (Thomastown).
- Monday, 26 January (12pm) – Farewell Tea and Fund-Raising Event at The Transfiguration of Our Lord Church (Thomastown).
These events underline the delegation’s focus on community engagement, cultural celebration and spiritual ties with Melbourne’s Greek diaspora.
Purpose of Melbourne activities
As in Sydney, the Melbourne segment of the visit is designed to strengthen cooperation across social, cultural and educational spheres, support initiatives that deepen diaspora connections, and highlight opportunities for collaboration between Florina and Victorian Greek Australian organisations.
The Mayor has emphasised that this is not a purely ceremonial tour; instead, it forms part of a broader strategy to engage the diaspora as active partners in Florina’s future development — culturally, socially and institutionally.
