Thousands turned to the streets of Melbourne to get a glimpse of the Evzones on Sunday parading in celebration of Greek Independence Day.
“This is undoubtedly the most massive and impressive celebration of of Greek Independence Day I have seen in Melbourne,” Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said welcoming the Evzones in Greek.
“I have been fortunate enough to have seen them in Greece and now I have the honor to be welcoming them in Melbourne.”
This year marked the third time that a unit of Evzones, Greece’s Presidential Guard, visits Melbourne – the first time being in 1980 and the second in 1992.
Greek Ambassador to Melbourne Ms Ekaterini Xagorari said that there the march proves “Melbourne is home to the largest Greek population outside Greece,” and passed on the Greek President of Democracy, Prokopis Pavlopoulos’ message to the diaspora.
After the parade, thousands gathered at Oakleigh Village celebrating Greek Independence day and honoring the Evzones.
At the end of the night, the Head of the Greek Presidential Guard Gregory Prezerakos received a symbolic gift from Melbourne’s Greek Community, a boomerang, as a token of everyone’s wish to see the Evzones return.