The Food for Thought Network is launching a new series, The Evolution of Hellenism: Family and Identity in the Diaspora, exploring how Greek identity has evolved across generations.
The first discussion, titled From Yiayia to Gen Z, will be held on Sunday, November 16 at The Greek Centre on Lonsdale Street. It will delve into how Hellenism is expressed across generations — from grandparents and Baby Boomers to Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Z — in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Food for Thought Network founder Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou said the series aims to “spark conversations about what it means to be a Hellene today.”
“From the early migrants who fought to preserve their traditions, to Gen Xers who grew up between two cultures, and younger voices redefining Greek identity in a globalised, digital world — each generation carries a story shaped by heritage, experience, and evolving Hellenism in the diaspora,” Athanasiou-Ioannou said.
Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou AM, founder of the Food for Thought Network, has been honoured for her lifelong work empowering Greek women worldwide. Photo: FFTN
The panel will feature speakers from diverse backgrounds and age groups, including Katina Rerakis, writer for Gourmet Traveller; Tasos Kolokotronis, 96, whose migration story has been recorded; Kali Koulouri; Sotiris Hatzimanolis, editor of Neos Kosmos; filmmaker Stella Grammenos-Dimadis; Dr Maria Malone, a respected cosmetic doctor focused on ethics; and Jamie Gallos and Dimitra (Demi) Bourdopoulou, co-presidents of the National Union of Greek Australian Students (NUGAS).
When asked by Neos Kosmos about the phenomenon of third-generation Greek Australians venerating their grandparents while their yiayiades and papoudes are often softer on them than they were on their own children, Athanasiou-Ioannou said that, “The third generation no longer carries the emotional weight of migration”.
Melina Mallos. Photo: Supplied
“The third generation didn’t have to prove worth or justify belonging the way their parents did. Their confidence comes from standing on the shoulders of those who sacrificed before them. They can now express their Hellenism as a choice rather than a constraint — with pride, humour, and a sense of ease. It’s cultural continuity without the struggle.”
While this younger generation is confident, Neos Kosmos observed that many are also surprisingly very traditional, more so than their second-generation parents. The masthead pointed to how many the third generation often attends church and celebrates their grandparents’ migration stories more than their parents do.
Stella Grammenos-Dimadis. Photo: Supplied
“That’s partly because the second generation grew up between two worlds. At home, they lived within the values and expectations of their Greek parents, while in broader society they had to adapt to an Anglo-Australian environment.”
She described the 1970s and even early to mid 1980s, as “the assimilation period — when it wasn’t considered cool to be Greek.”
“Many second-generation Greek Australians felt they had to hide or downplay their identity to succeed or be accepted,” Athanasiou-Ioannou said. “That’s where the name Food For Thought Network came from — I wanted to bring together second-generation professional women, to create a space where we could reflect, talk openly, and reclaim pride in who we are.”
Tasos Kolokotronis, 96, whose migration story has been recorded, will be on the intergenerational panel. Photo: Supplied
She added that today’s younger Greek Australians are growing up in a different context.
“The third generation celebrates their Greekness with confidence — there’s no baggage. It’s cool to be Greek. They’ve inherited the benefits of their grandparents’ resilience and their parents’ struggles, but without the insecurities of that in-between period.”
Vicky Alikakos, the Network’s secretary, said the event will encourage discussion well beyond the day itself.
“Our speakers will spark conversations that continue long after — not just during the networking that follows, but in people’s homes and families. This will be more than just an event.”
The discussion will be moderated by Eleni Karagiozaki, a well-known lawyer in the community. The program will also feature a performance by Anthe Sidiropoulou and a poetry recital by Maria Kampyli.
Helen Karagiozakis. Photo: Supplied
‘From Yiayia to Gen Z’
The Greek Centre, Lonsdale Street
Sunday, November 16 at 3–5pm
