The recording of the oral history of the Greeks of Australia and the creation of an extensive archive are the subjects of the Memorandum of Cooperation, which was co-signed by the Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, and the Archbishop of Australia, Mr. Makarios.
The memorandum provides for the systematic and methodical recording of the personal stories and adventures of the people of the Greek diaspora in Australia, mainly the first immigrants, through the non-profit program “Our People, Their Stories” of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia. The aim of the program is to narrate their personal stories, the struggle they gave to settle, to create a family, and to progress in an unknown country, while keeping their ties with their motherland solid.  The recording of their oral history will illuminate important aspects of the presence of Hellenism in the fifth continent, highlighting their valuable contribution to the formation of the modern Australian state.
As stated by Lina Mendoni, “we accepted the honorary proposal of the Archdiocese to place the program”Our People, Their Stories ” under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture because it contributes substantially to the preservation and promotion of Greek cultural heritage in Australia. The creation of the precious historical archive is a particularly important initiative, personally, of Archbishop Makarios, who works systematically, unclouded, and with much love to maintain the close ties of our fellow nations with our homeland, with our language, traditions, and culture as a vehicle. It is a great contribution to future generations, to Hellenism everywhere, and also to future researchers, to record the testimonies of Greek immigrants in Australia, who constitute one of the strongest and most dynamic national communities in distant Epirus. The Greeks of Australia, third and fourth generation, who were born and raised in Australia, were taught to speak the Greek language, to connect with Greek education, and to be interested in their roots. We are proud of what their parents have achieved, but also of their own progress and success.”
Archbishop Makarios of Australia stated that “it is with great joy and emotion that we have co-signed with Minister Lina Mendoni the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Holy Archdiocese of Australia, regarding our initiative to create a living museum, in which the stories and adventures of the immigrants of the fifth continent will be recorded. This cooperation demonstrates in practice the sensitivity of both the Greek government and the United States. The minister for the issues of the Greeks of the diaspora, but mainly demonstrates, in the most practical way, the respect that all of us have for the Greeks abroad. I would like to thank Mrs. Mendoni for our cooperation, congratulate her for the excellent work she is doing at the Ministry of Culture, and wish this cooperation to be just the beginning of many things that will follow in the future.”
All personal stories, recorded digitally, with sound and image, in Greek and English, as well as a valuable archive with rare, unpublished photographic material, will be accessible on the internet and will henceforth be the property of the Greek diaspora and, more broadly, of Hellenism everywhere. It is noted that the results of the program “Our People, Their Stories” will be presented on a special website as well as in all the publications and media mentioned in the program.