Hellenic Club of Canberra to host the Hellenic Presidential Guard (Evzones) in a Canberra first this OXI Day, Wednesday 28 October
30 September 2026
Sydney and Canberra to host the Hellenic Presidential Guard (Evzones) during OXI Day Week 2026
Sydney and Canberra will welcome members of the Hellenic Presidential Guard, known as the Evzones, from 22 to 29 October 2026 for a week of commemorative and cultural events marking OXI Day and celebrating the enduring bond between Greece and Australia.
The Hellenic Presidential Guard will take part in official, commemorative, and community events across both cities, providing a rare opportunity for Australians to witness the ceremonial precision and cultural significance of the Evzones.
The Sydney program will be hosted by the Hellenic Club Sydney, with support and sponsorship from the NSW Government, and will include commemorative ceremonies, community events, and the Club’s Centenary Gala Ball on Saturday, 24 October.
On Wednesday, 28 October, the Hellenic Presidential Guard will make their historic first official visit to Canberra, with the visit proudly sponsored by the Hellenic Club of Canberra and hosted by the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra (GOCCC).
Canberra Program – Wednesday, 28 October
The Canberra Program will commence at 8am with Divine Liturgy at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
At 11:00am, the Guard will attend a reception inside the foyer of Australian Parliament House, hosted by the Speaker of the House, the Hon Milton Dick MP, before attending the Australian War Memorial at 2:30pm for a wreath-laying ceremony.
The evening celebrations will begin at 6:30pm sharp, when the Evzones will march through our carpark and into the Club, culminating in a special Guard of Honour at the Club entrance. Members of the community are encouraged to attend and bring their Greek flags – we recommend being in position at our entrance by 6:15pm to ensure you don’t miss any of the show!
Following the march, an OXI Day Dinner will be held inside the Hellenic Club at Kivotos, bringing the community together to commemorate this significant day in Greek history. Canberra landmarks will also be illuminated in blue throughout the evening in recognition of OXI Day.
About OXI Day
The visit is timed to coincide with OXI Day, celebrated annually on 28 October, marking the anniversary of Greece’s rejection of Mussolini’s ultimatum in 1940. In the early hours of 28 October, Italian Ambassador Emanuele Grazzi presented Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas with demands that Axis forces be allowed to occupy strategic points on Greek soil. Metaxas refused, and the Greek people took to the streets with the word “Όχι” — “No.”
Greece’s subsequent stand on the Albanian front delivered the first Allied land victory against the Axis in Europe and became an enduring symbol of courage, resistance, and national unity.
That stand also forms an important part of the shared military history between Greece and Australia. In 1941, approximately 34,000 Australians and New Zealanders fought alongside Hellenic forces at Vevi, Tempe, Thermopylae/Brallos, and on Crete, while Royal Australian Navy ships served in Greek waters and later operations in the Aegean. Some 1,686 Anzacs from both world wars are laid to rest in Greece.
In 2026, the commemorations mark the 86th anniversary of OXI Day and the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Crete, providing an opportunity to reflect on the shared sacrifice, history, and enduring friendship between Greece and Australia.
About the Hellenic Presidential Guard
The Evzones are the ceremonial infantry unit of the Hellenic Republic, standing guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square and the Presidential Mansion in Athens, as well as representing Greece at significant national commemorations at home and abroad.
While the Hellenic Presidential Guard has visited Sydney on several previous occasions, 2026 will mark its first official visit to Canberra, making this year’s OXI Day commemorations a historic occasion for Canberra’s Greek community.
The Hellenic Club of Canberra is proud to sponsor the Canberra visit, supporting the Greek Orthodox Community and Church of Canberra in bringing this significant cultural and commemorative event to the nation’s capital.
Get social with us.
