Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand’s celebrates 41st congress after three year hiatus

The congress’ official opening saw crowds of attendees revel in the live dance and music. Photo: Supplied

The 41st congress of the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand continues into the weekend as the organisation celebrates 43 years since its founding.

The five-day celebration jointly hosted by the 11-member unions of the Federation gather for the first time in three years since the last event in Adelaide attended by more than 250 young men and women.

The Cretans of Oceania began their conference as delegates arrived at the Amora Hotel & Mantra in Melbourne on Wednesday 4 January.

An official reception was held at Cretan House on 5 January in the presence of Archbishop Makarios who flew from Sydney for the occasion.

The weekend ahead will see the assembly treated to tours of the city beginning Friday 6 January coinciding with the Annual General Meeting of the Cretan Youth of Australia and New Zealand.

A ball will be held that evening in the presence of clergy, consular officials and government representatives.

The night’s entertainment is being provided by Cretan Artist Grigoris Samolis who will grace the night with their lyre and vocals alongside Stelios Papadakis playing the lute and local artists Antonis Iliou and Giorgis Rerakis.

These musicians will of course accompany presentations of traditional Cretan dance from ensembles attending from across Oceania.

Festivities will continue on Saturday with a Youth Sports Carnival held at the Oakleigh Cannons Sports Complex with Mixed and Veterans’ football matches.

Saturday’s events end with a trivia night at Cretan House expected to be a night filled with joy and laughter.

Finally, on Sunday 8 January a church service will be held at the Cathedral of Agios Efstathios in South Melbourne for the doxology and memorial of all Cretan members who have passed away, presided over by the Bishop Kyriakos of Sozopolis.

Afterwards the conference will attend the Epiphany festival’s blessing of the waters before a farewell BBQ is held for attendees in the evening.

The federation was formed on April 13 1980 after a marathon nine-hour meeting, consolidating the at that time 20 Cretan organisations spread across the region.

With its aims of cultivating and fostering the relations between all the Cretans of Oceania, it has since that time preserved and showcased the culture of the Greek island for the benefit of all.