The meeting was held in Toronto, from the 5th until the 7th of March, following a decision which was taken by the coordinators of the two SAE Regions, Mr. Costas Menegakis and Theodoros Spyropoulos.

“Our goal is to coordinate substantiated positions of Diaspora organizations, which form our base” stated, among other things, the Coordinator of SAE Canada Region, Mr. Menegakis. “Beyond this collaboration we are aiming towards focusing on specific areas, such as Youth, Culture and Entrepreneurship. In the meantime, we support with all our strength, the efforts of the youths, who form the best guarantee for the future of the Greek Diaspora”.

“The most important investment we can make, is in our youth, which is the foundation of the Greek Diaspora dynamics and the basis for the future” stressed – inter alia – the Coordinator of SAE Region USA, Mr. Spyropoulos. “Our Youths must concentrate their efforts on two main axes: to establish and foster the concept of voluntarism in their conscience and concentrate their forces on specific purposes and not undefined goals. Only then they will succeed.”

Youth Networks, SAE Regions Canada and USA, are dynamically developing, as it as emphasized by the two Coordinators of the Networks, Mr. Tassos Mastorakos (Canada) and Mr. Mavrikios Gritzalis (USA), a database involving all Youth organizations is already under way, as well as the creation of respective websites and action committees, common to those of Youth Networks in other SAE Regions have been set up.

The registration of the scientific and entrepreneurial potential resources of SAE Regions USA and Canada, so that youths aged between 18 to 38 years, can be better informed, is bound to be complete by the end of 2010, as well as the creation of a database of Greek student associations in North America Universities as well as youth organizations.

Among the priorities of the two Youth Networks, is also the promotion of the just request for returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, with the collection of signatures, as well as the organization of common cultural events, with the participation of members and organizations from both Regions.

Among other things it was decided to launch immediately, the creation of an e-Newsletter for North America, the development and operation of websites for the Youth Networks of Canada and USA, the organization of a hospitality programme for youths in North America (similar to those of Africa and Oceania Regions), the organization of lectures and workshops on national issues, the promotion of Greek studies programmes in universities of North Ameriuca, the organizations of song and dance contests as well as common cultural events and “Greek Weeks” in universities and organizations of the Diaspora.

To facilitate Youths of the Greek Diaspora seeking employment in Greece, the creation of a web portal was decided, with job advertisements, vocational education programmes (internship programmes) and the joint organisation of Job Fairs.

During their stay in Toronto, the youths, visited the Royal Museum of Ontario (ROM), whereby they visited the Head of the Department of Hellenic, Cypriot, Roman and Byzantine Antiquities and philhellene Mr. Paul Denis. Subsequently, the members of the delegation had a tour in the premises of the museum and they were informed on the collection and Greek artefacts which are hosted in the greatest and most important museum of Canada.

The Canadian Government has tripled immigrant settlement funding since 2006. The range of services for migrants include the following:
Language Training.
Employment related assistance.

Community service referrals to help immigrants settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society.
You can access the new immigration resource at www.servicesfornewcomers.cic.gc.ca

A bronze statue of Alexander the Great dominates a small park at Danforth and Logan.

Toronto – “Opa!” the waiter shouts, as the brandy-soaked Greek cheese bursts into flames. This scene unfolds repeatedly in restaurants that line Toronto’s Danforth Avenue between Pape and Chester in the neighborhood known as Greektown.
Evidence of the area’s Greek heritage is seen and heard throughout the streets here. The blue and white Greek flag is proudly displayed in shop windows; trips to Greece are featured prominently by travel agents; street signs are in both English and Greek; and the language can be heard in coffee shops, spoken passionately by retired gentlemen over coffees.
A bronze statue of Alexander the Great stands proudly in a parkette at the corner of Danforth and Logan and I’m sure if the conqueror himself were looking down, he would be proud of how the Greek community has thrived, half a world away from his homeland.

Toronto claims the third largest Hellenic community outside of Greece, after New York City and Melbourne, with 200,000 residents of significant Greek ancestry. Their history in the city dates back to the 1850s, but it was 100 years later, during the 1950s, that the community really took hold. The population increased to more than 100,000 from 10,000 by the early 1960s and continued to rise substantially into the early 1970s.
It was in this neighborhood where the majority of these Greek immigrants first started their new lives in the Canada, and although many have now moved to suburbs throughout the greater Toronto area, Greektown remains the cultural and economic center of the community.
It’s not all Greek, though. The enclave has diversified in the past 20 years and now Japanese, Thai, Chinese and Indian restaurants stand alongside their Greek counterparts. But it’s the community’s Hellenic roots that continue to define it, providing its unique flavor.

Only 10 minutes east of downtown and right on the subway line, the neighborhood is easy to get to, and once here, there’s plenty to do. Shopping is a popular choice. Specialty boutiques line the Danforth, with home decor and designer fashion, fruit and vegetables stalls, Greek emporiums and everything in between.
As good as the shopping is, the food is even better. The best way to enjoy the neighborhood is to arrive hungry and indulge in the authentic Greek food on offer.

For an appetizer, try some pita with an assortment of dips like humus (chick pea puree, tahini and garlic), melitzanosalata (eggplant puree, garlic and spices) and taramosalata (red caviar, lemon and spices). Don’t forget to order the Saganaki (Greek cheese), worth it not only for the taste, but the pleasure of watching it being flambeed at your table.
Souvlaki, of course, is the quintessential Greek main dish, and it’s a fierce competition as to who has the best. Louis Meat Market (449 Danforth) is definitely a front runner, particularly for the take-out crowd. What makes its version so good?

According to the cook, it’s all in the mix of seasonings. “I could tell you the spices, but you wouldn’t be able make it like we do.”
Gyros are another popular choice for fast Greek food and Alexandros (484 Danforth) is famous for its pitas piled high with meat, onions, tomato and tzatziki for under $5.
For a sit-down restaurant, you can’t go wrong with Astoria (390 Danforth). Voted best souvlaki in the city for many years running, it is one of the area’s most popular Greek restaurants. Its generous portions, reasonable prices and perfectly seasoned kebobs keep customers coming back.

The Pantheon (407 Danforth) restaurant has an extensive seafood menu and an old-world atmosphere to enjoy it in. Sitting at a table surrounded by Greek families spanning three generations, it’s easy to imagine you’ve been transported to Mediterranean Europe.
If you still have room, Athens Pastries (509 Danforth) serves high-quality Greek desserts, including bougatsa (pastry stuffed with a thin layer of custard), loukoumades (small fried balls of dough drenched with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon) and galakto bouriko (thick slices of custard sandwiched between thin layers of pastry). Be warned. They’re addictive.
Greektown celebrates its culinary treasures every year in early August by hosting Taste of the Danforth, a weekend celebration of food that attracts over a million people to this neighborhood to sample to their hearts content. But anytime of year, visitors can appreciate delectable edibles amidst a lively atmosphere and a Greek legacy that continues to live on.

If you go:
Greektown (Danforth Ave. between Chester and Pape); www.greektowntoronto.com . By car: Take the Don Valley Parkway, which connects with the QEW Gardiner Expressway to the south and the 401 highway to the north. Take the Bayview/ Bloor exit, follow the signs for Bloor Street/Danforth Avenue and then travel eastbound.

By public transit: Take the Bloor-Danforth subway line and get off at Chester or Pape station.

TAP into TO!: A great way to explore Toronto’s many ethnic neighborhoods, or even downtown, is through the TAP into TO program. Like the well-known New York City greeters, volunteers give free tours to visitors. These intimate outings provide an insider’s view of the city and its neighborhoods. Find out more at www.toronto.ca/tapto ; 416-33TAP-TO (416-338-2786).

Jenny Siormanolakis, left front, and her family welcomed Greek athletes and team members to the family’s Burnaby restaurant recently.

A little food, new friends and a healthy dose of homeland patriotism.
That was the recipe cooked up at a longtime Burnaby institution this month for a unique Olympic memory that won’t soon be forgotten. The Siormanolakis family, who opened Romana Restaurant in 1973 and are still serving up Greek and Italian dishes at the Heights-area establishment, opened their doors recently to some of their fellow countrymen – the entire Greek Olympic delegation to the 2010 Games.
Poppy and Eugene Siormanolakis first opened the restaurant in the early ’70s and still run the business with daughters Jenny and Nora. Jenny Siormanolakis explains that it was a twist of fate that put the proud Greek family in touch with the athletes and team in the first place.
“I was going to be a volunteer with the Greek delegation and had the chance to meet the secretary of the team a year ago,” she told the NOW.
Earlier this month, Jenny took part in helping to organize torch celebrations on Broadway in Vancouver and said that was in itself an emotional experience. “To feel like you’re welcoming the torch all the way from Olympia, yeah, that makes me get emotional,” she said with a laugh.
Though the plan to volunteer this month fell through, Jenny received an invitation from the delegation to join them for the welcoming celebration in the athlete’s village in Vancouver.
“So we went down to cheer on the Greek delegation. It was just great,” she said. In return, the family extended an invitation to the team to come out to the North Burnaby restaurant for dinner. “We hosted them for dinner, all 17 of them – it was pretty busy,” she said with a laugh.
When the group walked in, decked out in their blue and white team outfits, the other patrons in the restaurant gave them a standing ovation, complete with clapping and cheers.
“The athletes were just stunned at the welcome. It was wonderful,” she said.
“We mingled over wine and over pizzas, a friend of mine played guitar, and there were some speeches.”
Jenny said it was a heartfelt and emotional evening, getting to know the members of the group and sharing stories.
“One of them was from another city near where we’re from originally. That sort of thing, it’s just very heartwarming to share, and exciting,” she said.
The family already owned an Athens Olympic flag, which they purchased during the Games in Greece in 2004.
While taking part in the celebrations at the athlete’s village, Jenny decided to pick up one of the blue Vancouver 2010 Olympic flags for the restaurant too.
That came in handy when the idea came up during dinner to have the team sign a piece of memorabilia.

PAVLO SIMiTIKIDIS, Rik Emmett and Oscar Lopez bring their guitars to the Sid Williams Theatre on March 9

This will be Simtikidis’ most dynamic performance ever, with an eight-piece band and eight dancers — making his concert at the Sid the last opportunity for our audience to enjoy an intimate concert before he goes big-time.
Oscar Lopez’s Latin guitar groove has made him a standout on the world music scene. Never afraid to venture into different genres, Lopez easily incorporates jazz, blues, and even pop sensibilities into his music.
Rik Emmett has his fair share of gold and platinum hanging on the wall after surviving three decades in the music biz.
Audiences marvel at the versatility of the tenor as he continues his prolific run of solo indie CDs, from classical to jazz to acoustic pop and folk vocal stylings through to the hard rock and heavy metal that made his reputation in the first place.
For the best seats in the house at the March 9 concert, order your tickets today. Tickets are $45 regular. Ask about discounts for members, students and children.

Visit the Sid Williams Theatre on the corner of Cliffe and Fifth in downtown Courtenay, purchase online at www.sidwilliamstheatre.com, or charge by phone at 250-338-2420, toll-free at 1-866-898-TIXX (8499).