The influential Greek Australian masthead since 1957, Neos Kosmos, backs the affirmative in the upcoming vote on a First Nations Voice to Parliament. The referendum offers a historically significant chance to right wrongs. Thus, we kindly request that Greek Australians cast “yes” votes in favor of the creation of a First Nations Voice to Parliament.
A constitutionally protected representative body that would give Indigenous Australians a voice in choices that affect them is proposed by the First Nations Voice to Parliament. Indigenous Australians would have a strong platform to express their concerns, tell their stories, and influence the policies that have an impact on them as a result.
We stand shoulder to shoulder with our country’s Indigenous community as Greek Australian media and as a pillar of the Greek Australian community.
As the people who first popularized democracy, the Greeks understand the value of having a voice, or parrhesia, as well as their presence in the agora and their right to speak. Truth-telling requires a First Nations Voice in Parliament, and Neos Kosmos, as a media outlet and a voice of and for the Greek Australians, supports this.
As Hellenes, who were colonized for 400 years, invaded by the Nazis during World War II, and went through violent civil wars, we can empathize to the sufferings of First Nations Australians because we, too, have faced oppression, genocide, and colonization.
We, like many non-Anglo migrants, have firsthand knowledge of racism and bigotry. For our continued survival as a Diaspora, we looked to our community, clan, family, and faith. The kind of suffering, trauma, and terrible bigotry endured by our First Nations Australians, however, will never be fully understood by us.
Even after 10,000 years, the Greek Diaspora still has a strong sense of connection to its native ancestral lands in Asia Minor (now Turkey) and Greece. We comprehend the strength of a, topos or Nation. We have personal experience with the sense of identity and belonging that comes with having a topos, or Nation.
Our ties to Greece and the Greek diaspora give us a sense of belonging that many First Nations people have been denied.
Although we are aware that the road to genuine reconciliation is a long and difficult one, we are dedicated to contributing to this momentous occasion.
The Uluru Statement from Heart, which was released in 2017, asked for Makarrata Commission to oversee process of agreement-making Indigenous & non-Indigenous Australians. Neos Kosmos was one of the first multicultural media outlets to support this request. We have written on the efforts being made by Indigenous leaders, Greek Australians of First Nations, and people who support acknowledgment and reconciliation.
A First Nations Voice in Parliament, in our opinion, will help to some extent build a more accepting society in Australia that values and respects the various cultures and histories of all Australians.
The First Nations Voice to Parliament and the effort for the acknowledgment and reconciliation of Indigenous Australians are causes that Neos Kosmos is happy to support. Together, we can build a more just society for all Australians by boosting Indigenous Australian voices and perspectives.
