Press Releases

We, Presidential Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Overseas Cypriots, Mr Photis Photiou, Mrs Nabila Makram, the Egyptian Minister of State for Immigration and Egyptian Expatriate’s Affairs, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Terens Quick, met in Melbourne for the launching of NOSTOS III program, a trilateral initiative aiming to bring the three Diasporas of Egypt, Cyprus and Greece together and create strong links between them and their home countries. The Melbourne NOSTOS III aims on youth and how to encourage them to preserve and promote their heritage and culture.

Trade and investment are also an important tool of enhancing diplomatic and business relations between the three countries and Australia, which is also the aim of Nostos. This visit will add another dimension, which is the role of diaspora in the development of trade and investment relations. The three ministers reconfirmed their Governments commitment to support our diaspora business people in their efforts to promote trade and investment initiatives.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our diaspora communities for their important influence on Australian society, the economy and the positive overall contribution to Australia’s future. Moreover, we thank them for enhancing bilateral relations between Australia and their homelands.

We strongly believe that the power of multiculturalism across the world is most evident in a country like Australia, which is built on immigration from all the world’s continents. Multiculturalism is a key fabric of society that ensures Australia’s success and has contributed positively in the development of the country. Immigrants, such as those in Australia, prove to the world that a successful integration policy which embraces people from various backgrounds has a far reaching positive impact.

(RM/ML)