NEW YORK –  A brief conversation with AHEPA’s Supreme President John Galanis confirms that he pours all his energy and heart into this beloved organization on behalf of his brothers and sisters in the AHEPA family, and the Greek-American community as a whole.  During a trip to New York, where two of his sons live, Galanis, who lives in Milwaukee, spoke to TNH about what AHEPA means to him, and of its importance to the community.

The essence of AHEPA is that it is a service organization, he said. It is of course an important component of Greek-Americans’ social lives, but Galanis said “I would rather be a member of AHEPA than, for example, the Lions.  He noted just a few of their programs: athletics, scholarships, sending young people to Greece, veterans affairs, Hellenic heritage activities for youth, and senior citizen housing – there are 92 homes  across the country.

AHEPA is also ethnically oriented, focused on issues concerning Greece, Cyprus, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. “We are an ally of the Church, and we can do things the Church cannot do,” promote thoseissues he said.  Its Washington, DC headquarters gives them prominence in the nation’s capital – AHEPA and the Archdiocese are the community entities best known to elected officials across the country.

Galanis said all members and chapters are encouraged to reach out to and educate their representativeson the community’s issues. He recently met with his Senator Ron Johnson, Chairman of the Subcommittee on European and Regional Security Cooperation. “They are looking for ways to help Greece,” Galanis said.

The importance of influencing America’s policy makers is one of the reasons, along with the need to focus better on the Order’s overall mission and its growth, that the leadership emphasizes unity. Elections are still contested according to parties, but there is a smooth alternation of leadership that can be foreseen for a number of years, allowing candidates to prepare. Last year Galanis travelled to Cyprus and Greece so that he could do a better job when it was his turn.

YOUTH IS THE PRESENT

AHEPA’s prestige today is rooted in its heritage – FDR, Truman and Eisenhower were Ahepans, for which Galanis credits its noble mission statement, which also contributes to its staying power compared withorganizations like GAPA, but the foresight of its leadership through the years aslo deserves credit.  Good fortune is the residue of design.

They undertook surveys to engage and learn from the membership.  “The Sons of Pericles and the Maids of Athena have been rejuvenated in recent years,” he said with pride. He added “it’s not often recognized, but those groups are training grounds that will enhance their lives, with experience that can used both in business and the non-profit world. They learn how to chair a meeting, how to organize events, and other things.”AHEPA is becoming a valuable networking resource for young professionals.

They have learned that the biggest challenge is not to attract new members – the Order’s heritage is astrong draw – but to retain them. He says the solution is leadership, and involvement. “The more involved we get people – and that generally requires leadership – then they will assume positions of leadership themselves.”  “Right now we are at 16,000 members and we average 1500 new people a year,” he said, adding that his goal is 20,000, supplemented by 10,000 in the women’s division.

Driven by his sense of fairness and well as an eye to the future – a national organization cannot ignore half the Greek-American population – Galanis is also a proponent of equal status for the Daughters of Penelope and the Maids of Athena.

He re-iterated the organization’s appeal. “We do good works,” and emphasized “we are chapter driven. The national leadership does not tell them what to do, although there are national projects like the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox National Shrine and Coolies Anemia. That, said, the more he delves into AHEPA’s work and mission, he sees that they are underfunded at thenational level. As effective as the current staff is, led by Executive Director Basil Mossaides, Galanis said “a minimum of two more people are needed.” The human resources are everywhere, but money is key.

“One of beauties” of his position is the chance to meet talented people with good ideas all over the world.” And the sky is the limit for AHEPA’s international development. “I came back from a trip to Europe with $9,000 for St. Nicholas.  A brand new chapter in Brussels gave us $3000 and $6000 from the group in Stuttgart.  Galanis’ devotion to Hellenism and the community is rooted the values he and his brother and sister learned at home in Milwaukee. His parents, both from Pyrgos in Elias. “They took us to church every Sunday. It was important to them and me.”

Galanis was active in the local Boys Club, which he continues to serve. He is also a PC member at the Church of the Annunciation, where he and his wife Patricia, who grew up in St. Louis and has roots in Imbros and Northern Greece, raised four children.  He became an Ahepan after earning a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin  at Madison, but he became very active after earning his law degree at the University of Michigan.

“My aspirations were to be the best I could be. I went to law school after serving in the Army as an ROTC officer and I saved money for my first year at law school, then worked hard to get a scholarship for the balance,” he said.  After law school he went to London School of Economic on a Ford Foundation grant and saw a lot of Europe – Greece twice – and Constantinople.

He wasn’t as knowledgeable about Greek history as he is now – he didn’t visit the Phanar, and ironically he is now a devoted  Archon, but he agreed that it wasn’t until Archbishop Iakovos focused on the Ecumenical Patriarchate that second generation Greek-Americans became aware of it.

Coming from modest beginnings, he then set his sights on earning a good living and opened his own practice, but he will never stop giving back to his community.

Supreme President John Galanis talks with TNH Publisher-Editor Antonis H. Diamataris.

The post Galanis Focused on Present and Future appeared first on The National Herald.

Andy Manatos, the Foundation’s President, linked the atrocities of WWII and the Holocaust to Isis’s current depredations, citing recent reports that it aspires to the murder of tens of millions.
When he presented the Oxi Day Award to Khalil al-Dakhi, Andy Manatos said “We are in the presence of a man who today is unsurpassed on the planet in hi Oxi day spirit against today’s Hitler, known as Isis.”
Al-Dakhi is an attorney who has dedicated and risks his life to saving the women, largely members of the ancient Yazidi religion, Isis exploits as slaves and sex slaves. After a screening of a Frontline video about him, Khalil, speaking through a translator, said “thank you for honoring me…it means you care about the suffering of the Yazidi people,” at the hands of a criminal gang that calls itself Isis,” and perpetrates crimes in the name of religion.
The Battle of Crete Award commemorates the brave women who sacrificed themselves in the defense of their island. The 2015 recipient was Leyla Yunus, a human rights activist who has been jailed along with her husband, by the government of Azerbaijan.
The guests were impressed by the introduction of Yunus by the entertainer Bono, but they listened in rapt attention to the words of Dinara Yunus, her daughter who accepted the award.
The walls of the Institute of Peace reverberated with a daughter’s pain as she described the persecution of her parents, who were declared traitors for seeking “peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia…and demanding truth from a dictator who loves to lie.
Amb. Vassilios Kaskarellis, representing Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s (SNF) co-President Andreas Dracopoulos and its Board, tied philotimo, one of the Foundation’s themes, to the current struggles of the Greek people and those who are helping them.
After outlining the impact of the crisis on society and noting that SNF has donated $370 million to assistance for Greece’s neediest, he presented the SNF Philotimo Award to the organization PRAKSIS and its president Tzanetos Antypas, who provided an overview of its work.
SNF’s Stellios Vasilakis noted that the spotlight which usually shines on benefactors should also pick out NGO’s like PRAKSIS. He announced that SNF’s Board just announced an additional grant of almost $6 million for its social housing program that was so far helped 4,570 families keep their homes.
The Philotimo Scholarship Award was presented by Judge Theodore Bozonelis to Casey Arruda. The essay, read by Bozonelis, was inspired by the remarkable video seen by one million people and produced by the Foundation titled The Greek Secret, about philotimo, which is defined not only as the “love of honor” but also as finding pleasure in sacrificing for: the good of others.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who paid tribute to Yunus, acknowledged the presence of representatives Gus Bilirakis, John Sarbanes, and Dina Titus.
“It’s no wonder that the Manatos family has decided to introduce us to Oxi because the courage of your ancestors is something you still have and recognize in others,” Pelosi said.
AHEPA Supreme President John Galanis, who has studied the history of Oxi Day, was very impressed. “The Oxi speaks to the character of the Greek people,” which he said is always there, and which carries them through all crises.
The Foundation’s events included a reception hosted by Greek Ambassador Christos Panagopoulos cohosted by the National Hellenic Society, the presentation of the OXI Day Greatest Generation awards at the National WW II Memorial, and concluded with a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on October 29.

The post Washington Oxi Day Marks 75th appeared first on The National Herald.

PHOENIX – Author and film maker Nicholas Gage was re-elected President of The Panepirotic Federation of America at its 39^th biennial convention which was held in Phoenix, AZ from October 30 to November 1. The Board that now leads the organization consists of a blend of veterans and newcomers.

“At this convention in the heart of the West, we were able to build a bridge that allows the Panepirotic Federation to be governed both by veterans who were born in Epiros and younger members born in America but with strong feelings for the homeland and traditions of their parents,” Gage said, who added “Such generational consensus often creates difficulties for many organizations but we were able to accomplish it with great ease and cohesion.”

“We need the strength that comes from such unity to fulfill our dual mission to help both ethnic Greeks living in Northern Epiros under considerable pressure from Albanian authorities and our compatriots in Greece who have seen jobs disappear, austerity measures soar and their disposable income slashed almost in half in the past seven years,” Gage said.

Convention delegates voted to hold future conventions every three years instead of biennially  to give Federation leaders ample time to make progress on important matters.

The guests of honor attending the convention included Pyrros Dimas, the Northern Epirote who won three Olympic gold medals and one bronze in weightlifting for Greece in Olympic Games; Konstantina Beziani, the head of Albania’s State Committee for Minorities, and Leonidas Pappas, the president of Omonia, the primary organization advocating for basic rights for ethnic Greeks in Albania.

Gage, who was elected by acclamation to take another term as president, his fourth in the past 20 years, will serve with George Nanis of Worcester as vice president; Aleka Kaloudelis, president of the Washington chapter, as secretary general; Olga Fotos of Worcester as treasurer, and Niki Pallas of Phoenix, one of the organizers of the convention, as assistant secretary.

Six board members and three alternates were also elected, including Eva Kantlis, Fotios Galitsis, Charalambos Mellos, and Stavros Zhongas, all of New York; Dimitris Karapanos of San Francisco, and John Katsimbaris of Detroit. The three alternates are Athena Xinogalos and Efthimios Pappas of New York and Alex Pallas of Phoenix, the co-chair with his daughter Niki of the convention organizing committee.

The gala dinner dance was held in the community hall of Holy Trinity Church. Gage, Dimas, Beziani, and Pappas all spoke about the need to press the Albanian government to end discrimination of ethnic Greeks in the country and grant them the rights due them under international agreements signed by Albania but never implemented.

Gage said that can only be accomplished if the U.S. government and the European Union bring effective pressure to bear on Tirana and he promised the Federation will do everything in its power to see that it happens.

It is a convention tradition to honored past presidents for their service and in Phoenix former president Demitris Tsoumbanos was cited. He was not able to attend, but a plaque honoring his contributions will be presented to him by Gage in Boston.

The convention adopted a resolution unanimously that called on the Albanian government to provide ethnic Greeks in the country all educational, religious, political, linguistic and cultural rights due them under international agreements and urged the European Union to freeze negotiations for admission of Albania until its parliament adopts all EU principles on minority rights. It also called on the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and the Greek government to press Albania to fulfill all its international obligations to ethnic Greeks in Northern Epiros and throughout Albania.

The resolution also called on the United States to do everything in its power to end the occupation of northern Cyprus by Turkish troops; to urge the Turkish government to end the harassment of the Patriarchate and re-open the School of Halki, and to press FYROM to stop expropriating the name Macedonia, which has been identified with Greece throughout its history.

The new members of the Panepirotic Federation’s board are, seated L-R: George Nanis, Aleka Kaloudelis, Nicholas Gage, and Olga Fotos. Standing L-R: Charalambos Mellos, Fotios Galitsis, Eva Kantlis, Dimitris Karapanos, Athena Xinogalos, Niki Pallas, Stavros Zhongas, Alex Pallas, John Katsimbaris, and Efthimios Pappas.

The post Panepirotic Federation Holds Convention, Re-Elects Nicholas Gage appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – The Hellenic Lawyers Association (HLA) held its 27th Annual Dinner Dance Gala and scholarship presentation November 13 at the Pierre Hotel.

The ballroom was filled with friends and admirers of Madeline Singas, District Attorney-elect of Nassau County, who received the Distinguished Public Service Award, and Nicholas Karambelas, who was honored as Attorney of the Year.

Being attorneys and having Hellenic roots were not the only things the honorees had in common. During the introductions and thank you speeches tribute was paid to Governor Michael Dukakis as the inspiration for the public service careers of Greek-Americans across the country.

Singas is a veteran of the Dukakis effort in New York State – as were many in the room including New York State Senator Michael Gianaris – and Karambelas was part of the team in Washington, DC that wrote position papers.

It was noted by guests that the honorees and the scholarship recipients are Dukakis’ political children and grandchildren, the rich harvest of the 1988 campaign that transcends its result.

Gianaris and Simotas paid forward the community’s support for them by helping elect Costas Constantinides, the first Greek or Cypriot on the New York City Council.

HLA President Michael Hartofilis invited Fr. John Vlahos to give the invocation, and he followed with an overview of HLA, which he is “is about, supporting, nourishing, and acknowledging the legal careers of Hellenic lawyers.”

Hartofilis’ words were echoed by Kate Christoforatos when she presented the HLA scholarships, adding “I ask all of our seasoned attorney to make yourselves available to our law students and to share with them your invaluable advice and guidance.” She also thanked the benefactors.

The first scholarship, in memory of Judge Norman George was presented by Judge Harriet George to Hofstra Law Student Sophia Arzoumanidis.

George Tsougarakis presented the Hughes, Hubbard and Reed Scholarship to St. John’s Law student Christina Vlahos.

The following three recipients attend New York Law School: Jennifer Kalmanides, received the Poles, Tublin, Stratakis and Gonzales scholarship from John Stratakis, Despina Keegan presented the scholarship she sponsored to John Louros, and Caitlin Dance also earned a scholarship. The final one was presented to St. John’s Law School student Kally Konstantinides.

Karambelas  was honored for his achievement in the legal profession and for his work to strengthen U.S. relations with Greece and Cyprus and being a champion of the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. He began at the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) in Washington, DC as a staffer in the late 1980s and has since served in numerous capacities, including volunteer legal counsel.

He expressed his deep appreciation for the honor because HLA is dedicated “to my two great passions, Hellenism and the law.” He defined the latter, inspired by the achievements of the former, as the use of reason to address, work through, and resolve human conflicts.

Declaring himself a proud Spartan and Greek-American, he praised the accomplishments of the courageous first immigrants.  He noted the importance of the societies they created, “and three [seminal] events: the establishment of the Archdiocese, the founding of AHEPA, and the first editions of The National Herald.”

Karambelas said the people in the room are the legacy of those pioneers. “The election of District Attorney Singas” – a burst of applause overpowered his words, but they  were to the affect that the former is just one of the brightest examples.

The gala was Singas’ first public appearance after her resounding victory and constituted a celebration of a great individual and community achievement.

Hartoflilis introduced her with the story of seeing her at the start of her career in the courtroom of Judge Richard Butler – who was at the gala. “I tried to explain and show her the ropes, and at one point Judge Butler called me up to the bench and he asked me ‘what do you think about this girl’…and he said ‘you know, I think she’s gonna go far.”

COMING HOME

“I feel like I am coming home again when I come into a room like this,” Singas told the guests, and thanked to community for its support and provoked laughter when she said the campaign “has become known as my big, fat Greek election.”

“My story is your story. My parents came from Greece in the 1950s with nothing by the clothes on their backs, and faith in this country, in God, and faith that their daughters” – her sister Dr. Effie Singas was also participating in the celebration – “would one day stand before you in positions like this.”

She distinguished a separate Greek-American path to the American dream characterized not only by a strong work ethic, but also by philotimo, “that commitment to always doing good and being good.”

It is often difficult for immigrants’ children to get career guidance “but thank God for Bill Gianaris…When we were working for Mike Dukakis, he said ‘you should be a prosecutor. I think you would be good at it; and I said, ‘I think I’ll try it.’ Thank you Bill!”

She is happy that today HLA members can play that role for many young people.

At one point Singas paused and noted the night began with joy “and then I heard about what happened in Paris…I know you all will join me praying for those victims and their families, and praying for the rule of law, and hoping that terrorism is eradicated in our lifetime.”

Gianaris, a teenage friend of Singas, told TNH that he was very pleased “we all rallied behind her…and in her first campaign she won bigger than anyone expected. She did us proud and will continue to do so.”

Guests thanked Maria Hartofilis for spearheading another successful gala and they enjoyed dancing to the music of the  Syn-Phonia band featuring lead singer Aphrodite Daniels.

The post HLA Lauds Singas Victory, Karambelas Contributions to Law and Hellenism appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – A dynamic group of Greek-Americans have committed themselves to reviving the historic Delta 25 Chapter of the Order of AHEPA in New York.

Planning meetings are underway and recruitment efforts have begun according to newly elected President Argyris S. Argitakos and Vice President Ilias Katsos.

Most of the early chapters established after the order was founded in 1922 were located in the South, because that is where Greek-Americans faced threats from racist groups like the KKK, but the Delphi post was the first in the Northeast.

Past members of the chapter congratulated Argitakis for taking the initiative.

Michael Capous sent the following message: “Argyris, I hope you get the strength and support from your chapter members to make Delphi Chapter the best. In the 1960s Delphi was the largest chapter with 1000 plus members. All the Greek professionals, doctors, lawyers, judges, were proud members…You should be extremely proud,” to have the opportunity lead the Chapter.

Indeed, Argitakis, an Astoria native with roots in Sparta who is an executive in the construction industry, reveres the tradition he is charged with upholding, as is Katsos,  but the new leaders are focused on the future as they have the means to turn Delphi into a powerful social, cultural, philanthropic, and networking force in the community.

When Argitakis joined the chapter in 2012 its inactivity prompted him to recruit a core group of people interested in what AHEPA does.

Everyone is looking forward to January 19, 2016. That is the date of the big new member initiation ceremony at Gallagher’s Steakhouse in Manhattan.

“The venue was donated to us by Dean Poll, president of the Cathedral Board. His father James Poll was a past president of Delphi. We will also cut a vasilopita. It will be something special,” Argitakos said.

#delphi25nyc meeting 20Oct15 @holytrinitynyc

Through the years the chapter met in different locations, including the prestigious New York Athletic Club, to which they will continue to have access. Some of the Chapter’s recent meetings, like one on October 20, were held at Trinity Cathedral, which is becoming its informal home.  Dean, Fr. John Vlahos, is its honorary chaplain.

Michael Papaphotes is the Executive. Secretary and Chris Karis is Chapter Treasurer.

Katsos, chairman of the membership and events committee told TNH that the best way to grow the organization is through events and activities that elicit interest in the community, and he gave as examples his initiatives as past Exec. VP of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce such as celebrations of Oxi and Greek Independence days and the first National Hellenic American Genealogy Conference.

It is also good for the chapter to appear in different places and to hold joint events and cooperation with other leading community organizations, and he added “In New York the community has a lot of top business and cultural leaders” so many kinds of events will be developed.

“It’s all embryonic now, but as we get more member there will be more ideas,” he said.

Katsos was instrumental in the Chapter selecting its next project, the relocation of the Korean War Museum to New York. There will be a Greek pavilion featuring the history of Greeks in Korea and discussions have begun about fundraising events for it.

His is also in the process of founding the East Mediterranean Business and Cultural Alliance, but he decided to make time for AHEPA due to both Argitakis’ enthusiastic personal invitation and what is happening to Hellenism internationally through distorted media coverage.

AHEPA has great appeal to him as the community’s “Anti-Defamation League.”

They will pay special attention to attracting people who would not necessarily have been drawn to the order but would if they knew more about it.

The post New Blood to Revive AHEPA Chapter 25 appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – Cyprus’ first lady, Andri Anastasiades, was honored for her dedication to philanthropic activity at the Archdiocesan Cathedral Philoptochos Society’s 62nd Annual Chrysanthemum Ball on November 20.
Archbishop Demetrios offered the invocation assisted by Archdeacon Panteleimon Papadopoulos and called God’s blessings upon the Philoptochos members, whom he praised, and all present. He then set the tone by saying “Kali orexi – bon appetit and welcome to this feast of joy and achievement.”
Fox News Anchor Nicole Petallides was the Emcee and Chapter President Dr. Miranda Kofinas was the gracious host at Manhattan’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Kofinas thanked the event’s volunteers, especially the chairs, Catherine Moutousis, who served as chapter president for four of the past six years, Carlene Soumas, Rena Melis, and the honorary chair, Anthea Philippou, wife of the Consul General of Cyprus Vasilios Philippou.
“Dear friends, you all know of the work this Philoptochos has been doing for 121 years – longer than the Ethnikos Kirix,” Kofinas said, prompting laughter from her friend Publisher-Editor Antonis Diamataris, who attended with his wife, Litsa.
Petallides, both of whose parents were born in Cyprus, expressed her pride in the perseverance and dignity the people of Cyprus have shown during the financial crisis invited everyone to visit the beautiful island.
Fr. Vlahos asked Mrs. Philippou to introduce the first lady, of whom he said “she is indeed a faithful, genuine and dignified first lady and I am so pleased we are honoring her this evening.”
Philippou, who met her husband at a Philoptochos event, said Anastasiades “epitomizes everything Philoptochos embodies…which I think is quiet giving.” She then announced “a little surprise for her, a person message from Vice President Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden.
After congratulating Philoptochos for “serving as an example…of charitable work…and playing a very important role in making the world a better place,” Biden said “it’s a pleasure to personally recognize…the First Lady…for her long time involvement with a number of social and philanthropic activities and for her leadership in various charitable foundations,” such as Cyprus’ Independent Social Support Body (ISSB),” which she was instrumental in establishing, to whose support the Cathedra Philoptochos supported with a $10,000 contribution.

Anastasiades told the guests, “It is truly a great pleasure and honor to be among you tonight,” and proceeded to list some of the causes supported by Philoptochos in America, as well as “much needed assistance to Greece and Cyprus.” She then praised Archbishop Demetrios for his leadership and unwavering support for Cyprus.
She acknowledged the Archbishop was “the first to embrace and support my vision for the establishment of the ISSB, which she said was vital to its success.
The Body provides financial support to students facing difficulties can complete their university studies. She is proud of the transparency and effectiveness of its operations.
Anastasiades expressed her delight in being honored at an event “that provides us with an opportunity to unite different generations under the umbrella of generosity” which in the Orthodox Christian faith begins with leading by example, and concluded by saying “I accept this award on behalf of all Cypriots,” and by thanking Philoptochos “for this unforgettable night.”
Archbishop Demetrios began his remarks with “thank you for the opportunity to be with [our beloved] and heroic people of Cyprus.
He said of Anastasiades “she is involved in every imaginable philanthropic work but emphasized the nobility of her support for university students and listed reasons for praising the ISSB as a model organization, including clarity of purpose, transparency, and accountability. The Archbishop also praised the members of Philoptochos, noting scriptural bases for their efforts, 1) The Good Samaritan and his example of non-discrimination and full social service, 2) St. Paul’s praise for the cheerful not grudging giver, 3) faith that love is above everything, that love never fails, and 4) the knowledge that doing the good never makes one tired, that the harvest of makes the toil of sowing worthwhile.
Fr. Vlahos thanked Philoptochos and Kofinas for her work and the guests from came from all over the Northeast, but he was especially excited by the huge turnout for the affiliated event, Young Professionals Connect for Charity. After 10PM, the partition between the sit down dinner and the latter buffet event opened, flooding the packed Grand Salon with 360 more people and prompting Fr. Vlahos to say “we have plenty of young professional here with us today. God bless you. We are one family together and we love you and we know you will continue to make us proud.”
Cathedral Trustee Justin Bozonelis, who spearheaded the youth event greeted everyone and thanked all who contributed to its success.

With an extra jolt of kefi from the youth and the music Mylos Entertainment featuring singer Olympia Milonas and DJ Sava, the agenda shifted to dancing
The ball is the Cathedral Philoptochos’ main annual fundraising event for its charitable activities. Kofinas announced the chapter raises $100,000 annually, which is given to needy people. A portion of the Ball’s proceeds will be contributed to the Feed the Children charity.
The members of the diplomatic corps included Cyprus UN Ambassador Nicholas Emiliou, Cyprus’ Ambassador to the U.S. George Chacalis, Greece’s UN Ambassador Catherine Boura, and Consul General of Greece Amb. George Iliopoulos, accompanied by his wife, Anthousa.
President of HANAC Nikitas Drakotos, a great Philoptochos Admirer, echoed many guests, telling TNH “It was beautiful,” and Andreas Comodromos, founding President of the Cyprus – US Chamber of Commerce agreed, adding, “it is a special honor for us Cypriots to see Philoptochos honor the first lady.”

The post Chrysanthemum Ball Honors First Lady of Cyprus Andri Anastasiades appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – Katerina Mountanos is only the latest Greek-American entrepreneur to make the news, as is well known by the members of community organizations like Hellenic Professional Women (HPW), which recently hosted her presentation titled “Making the Jump: Career Changes & Entrepreneurship.”

Three years ago Mountanos and her partner, Elizabeth Whitman founded, Manicube, the pioneering in-office beauty and grooming services company. The day before her Midtown Manhattan HPW talk, it was acquired by Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa.

The slogan of the premier in-office manicure and barbering service is “Keeping Professionals Polished,” and Mountanos takes pride in the professionalism and high quality service she and her colleagues provide, but he is especially pleased to be able to return one hour of precious time to the busy professional women Manicube serves.

“We built our company with one mission in mind: to make the lives of working professionals easier,” visitors to the website, manicube.com, are informed.

Manicube visits corporate clients, who provide space, usually conference rooms, where their employees can receive a variety of beauty and grooming services, beginning with a basic manicure.

For readers from Mars, Mountanos explained to TNH that the service restores an hour of time a week to her clients. “Between traveling to the nail salon, waiting, your turn, and drying time, it takes an hour – or more. Now, instead of using lunch time or leaving work early, they can just walk down the hall and be done in 15 minutes.”

She said about 25 percent of the clients pick up part or all of the costs of the services for their employees.

Maria Frantzis, one of the founders and past president of HPW, took the lead in congratulating when she introduced her at the event which included a reception.

Frantzis later told TNH, “Tonight we were very inspired by Katina…She is always there whenever we need her and she is a source of ideas and mentoring for our members,” adding “we need more women like Katina who are always there for other Greek-American women.”

Mountanos began her talk by going around the room and asking how much they wanted to become entrepreneurs and whether it was a long or short term interest. Many where interested.

She then told the story about how she turned a finance degree and four years of investment banking experience into an entrepreneurial career in the beauty industry, and provided the dozens of women listening intensely with general advice.

Mountanos shared a famous speech the late Steve Jobs had given at Stanford University and summarized it by saying “It’s all about putting dots down on your personal experience map that may (or may not) be connected in the future.”

Even if something does not get connected right now, she said, “follow that passion” that makes you want to have that experience or knowledge “and put that dot down.” In Job’s case, a calligraphy course he took in college helped him to develop the fonts for the first Apple computer.

She told TNH about her own experience, where some dots were linear but others were outliers that got connected later.

One of the outliers was the result of being left without a job after 9/11 caused American Express to move to New Jersey. She got a job at Macy’s working at the Estee Lauder make0up counter. “That experience at the beauty counter made me fall in love with the beauty industry – I also saw how lucrative it could be and made me want to go to L’Oreal USA and not back into finance after business school.

Her next challenge is re-branding as Manicubes moves under the Red Door umbrella in January 2016. Mountanos and her partner will run the division that does mobile services.

She appreciates the support and inspiration she received from her entrepreneurial parents.

Her father is from Koroni – where Mountanos was married last year – and her mother is from Agrinio. Both immigrated to the U.S. as teenagers

Her younger brother Peter works in the family running Larkfields, a highly successful catering hall in Northport in Long Island, with their father.

The post HPW Presents Katerina Mountanos on Career Changes, Entrepreneurship appeared first on The National Herald.

CHICAGO, IL – Members of the National Hellenic Student Association (NHSA) chose the Windy City for a three-day conference filled with networking sessions, city walks, and celebrations October 23-25.

Despite some last minute venue changes that the organizing group had to accommodate, the NHSA conference was a success in bringing together Greek-American youth for a combination of learning and socializing with a total of 114 registered attendees and a dozen mentors, representing 45 U.S. universities and 23 NHSA member chapters.

On October 23, students were welcomed at various offices in the city for professional networking, followed by an evening happy hour at Chicago’s legendary Hard Rock Hotel. A Greek night was later held at the Wit Hotel in downtown Chicago as a warm-up to the Saturday morning speed networking sessions, presentations, panel discussions and team-building activities that followed. Saturday night could not be spent without yet another festive social gathering, while Sunday included a farewell walk around the city.

“The convention is a wonderful way for young professionals and students to meet each other and foster a supportive relationship across the United States,” said University of Iowa student Panagiota Terzis. “I met a lot of people and created the foundation for long lasting relationships, professional and personal,” she added.

The next day, the current events panel included commentary and a follow-up discussion with Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council Endy Zemenides, Consul General of Greece in Chicago Ioanna Efthymiadou, and Honorary Consul of the Republic of Cyprus Michael Dovellos.

“Unless they are reading the National Herald every day or other Greek newspapers, most students aren’t getting this type of news,” Zemenides said of the talks. “It’s one thing to just see headlines and it’s another to really understand the substance about it,” he added.

This year’s speaker discussions touched on the Greek crisis, Greece’s geopolitical position in the Mediterranean, and foreign relations with the EU, Turkey, Cyprus, and Israel.

“You can’t become an expert on just knowing what everybody else knows, you have to know more,” Zemenides said. “And that’s what we endeavored to do, to give the students a leg up in knowledge, and I think they saw that during the panel,” he said.

During that morning’s presentations, University of Chicago Linguistics Professor Anastasia Giannakidou discussed the evolution of the Greek language and the benefits of being bilingual across different spectrums. Also presenting at the conference was Field Museum Curator Dr. William Parkinson who introduced “The Greeks: From Agamemnon to Alexander the Great,” the Museum’s latest exhibit set to open this November.

One of many NHSA conferences held over the years, the Chicago event once again united students, friends, and local leaders in the Greek-American community, something that is becoming of more and more value nowadays.

“Building your networks and reaching out to mentors in our community is very important,” Efthymiadou told the students, encouraging them to stay involved with the Greek community both on a local and national level.

“It is extremely important that we, the future Hellene leaders, recognize issues that we will need to address and help solve them,” said Loyola University student Dimitri Polymenakos of challenges faced growing up Greek-American.

On the success of this year’s convention, current NHSA President Konstantina Panagiotopoulos noted the valuable connections made between attendees.

“The bonds and relationships formed throughout the weekend, both on a professional and personal level truly reflect the overall mission of NHSA,” Panagiotopoulos said. “We grew in many ways, and while we have much work to do, we united Greeks from the local and national standpoint, and that is what defines our success,” she added.

Just as the fall 2015 convention came to an end, this spring will bring yet another gathering, and planning has already begun.

“We look forward to organizing the spring convention, and continuing the legacy of the NHSA,” said Konstantine Ouranitsas, NHSA immediate past president.

The NHSA of America is the network of the Hellenic Student Associations across the United States. By linking Greek, Greek-American and Cypriot students of the American educational institutions, the organization aims to promote ideas and projects that enrich the Hellenic spirit on campuses nationwide.

“The student’s efforts were phenomenal. It’s not an easy thing to be a student and in your spare time put together something like this,” Zemenides said. “Given the logistical challenges bringing people in from around the country and giving them quite a diverse program, [the students] should be commended for their initiative and for pulling it off in the end,” he added.

Vasiliki Mitrakos contributed to this report.

NHSA attendees pose for a photo in Chicago’s famous Millennium Park.

The post National Hellenic Student Association Convention A Success in Chicago appeared first on The National Herald.

ASTORIA – For the 26^th consecutive year many of Astoria’s neediest and elderly enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal and fellowship thanks to the efforts of the members and officers of the Greek American Homeowners Association and the volunteers they inspire and mobilize.

George Alexiou, one of the founders and past president of the Association, served as Emcee at the annual luncheon, welcoming guests to its headquarters on 31^st Street. He introduced the other speakers and took the lead thanking the volunteers.

As always, he reserved a special expression of appreciation for businessman George Fakiris – “Without him we could not have this Thanksgiving celebration.”

And the giving in that spirit continues. Alexiou told TNH “The most touching thing is that people stop me in the street and say ‘here is $500 from me’ – it’s unbelievable.”

Alexiou was happy to tell TNH that 2015 is another record-breaking year of giving.  Volunteers delivered 525 Turkeys to needy families and the elderly since Monday of Thanksgiving week “and today we have cooked more than 100 Turkeys,” he said. When asked about the volunteers, he said “we don’t even count any more” – they just show up and are put to work. The organizers are especially proud of the children who help.

Archbishop Demetrios, Very Rev. Nektarios Papazafiropoulos, Dean of St. Demetrios Cathedral, Consul General of Greece Amb. George Iliopoulos, and Greek Consul Manos Koubarakis attended, as they do every year, and praised the organizers.

With the disturbing things happening all over the world, the Greek-Americans of Astoria have much to be thankful for as 2015 draws to a close.

New York State Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas praised  “groups like this, which put on a fantastic feast that serves so many Turkey dinners and sends more to so many families in need. It’s so important that we continue to help our fellow Americans.”

State Senator Jose Peralta declared “Chronia polla!” in perfect Greek and congratulated everyone involved in the endeavor.

State Senator Michael Gianaris said “this is one of my favorite days of the year. The Association does a phenomenal job bringing everyone together. Thanksgiving is a day that people spend with their families, but in Astoria, this is our family. The volunteers are serving people who perhaps don’t have people to spend the day with.”

City Councilman Costas Constantinides also spotlighted the Astoria tradition of “giving back.” He said “the Association inspires the children and teaches them how to be giving…they make sure their door is open to everyone.”

Association President George Kitsios reflected the spirit of many in the room when he said “we are upset over what is happening in the world, but that does not mean life stops. That is why we try to be a small community example of humanitarianism” in the face the machinations of the world’s leader who seem more bent on actions that can lead to war than to peace.

Reflecting what was on the minds of many there, Kitsios declared, “It should not be permitted that a small group of fanatics can slaughter people, that children should be drowning, and passenger planes to be before the eyes of humanity.”

Numerous guests commented that such humanitarian deficits were not visible at the Association’s home that afternoon. “No, we don’t give up” Kitsios said.

Archbishop Demetrios offered words of encouragement. “People are afraid of war because they see what is happening. They are terrible, horrible, but they are not new.”

He noted that his generation lived through WWII and its aftermath, and other serious happenings, “but we are always ready, we must be alert…and as faithful, we must pray, as the Church does, for peace in the world…but we must always be vigilant and prepared as citizens to help with any effort that reinforces peace,” – including philanthropic endeavors like that of the homeowners.

“Among the causes of evil are poverty, hunger, and injustice, and if we help to reduce these, war will also stop, so we have work to do,” the Archbishop said, and again praised the Association.

The guests also congratulated the Archbishop for being honored by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew with the title “Geron – Most revered elder.”

Former New York City Council Speaker Peter F. Vallone, Sr. also loves celebrating with the Association each year. “You know we are Sicilian, so we are part Greek.”

He told TNH. “What the homeowners have done for so many thousands of people is one of the best gifts you can have…it’s a wonderful way to start your Thanksgiving.”

Eleni Tsagianni was delivering lunches since 8 AM and her friend Marga Vlachos was among those who work with Elpida Alexiou to make sure the list of recipients’ addresses is up to date and that that pickups of donations from restaurants are arranged.

Petros Stathatos, from Cephalonia, is one of the founding members of the Association – he has been a vice president for 28 years – and of the Thanksgiving event, serving as chairman and treasurer for many years. “We began with a handful of volunteers and now we feed more than 500 people. We are getting old but our children and grandchildren will continue our work.”

Among the youth present were Chrysanthi Kolokouris, who attends Francis Lewis High School and has roots in Sparta and Agrinio. She comes with Potoula Lembesis, her grandmother who is an Association Board member. “It’s such a nice experience – you really appreciate Thanksgiving more,” she said.

Her friend Efthimia Sweeney attends Cardozo High School. “My grandmother Efthimia Kyriakos, who is from Kastoria and I are part of the association. Every year there are always new helpers and it’s fun to help her.

The guests were once again entertained on guitar and vocals by Serafim Lazos.

Greece is never from the minds of the attendees. Alexiou said the Association makes contributions continuously to the efforts of the Hellenic Relief Foundation to help needy Greeks.

The post Astoria Homeowners Association Holds 26th Thanksgiving Luncheon appeared first on The National Herald.

Greek-Americans are deep into holiday preparations and celebrations. On Friday, December 11, 6-9 PM the Association of Greek American Professional Women is hosting the annual AGAPW Holiday Benefit Celebration at the Greene Street Soho studio loft of artists Michael and Niki Kapsalis, featured in the New Visual Art Performance Biennial, Performa 15.

RSVP at oalexakos@agapw.org and visit the website, agapw.org.

AGAPW Founder and President Olga Alexakos invites the members of the community to “join us in sharing gratitude for the year we are leaving behind and in welcoming the new year soon to arrive, with fine Greek wine, Greek mezedes and seasonal sweets, great company and great art!”

AGAPW kindly requests a $75 donation; net proceeds will benefit AGAPW’s Excellence Tuition Scholarship fund.

An event in early 2015 continued the tradition of wonderful AGAPW house parties.

The post RSVP Today for AGAPW Dec. 11 Party appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – The wonderful studio loft of artists Michael and Niki Kapsalis was the scene of the 2105 Holiday Benefit Celebration of the Association of Greek American Professional Women (AGAPW) on December 11 where guests were welcomed by its President and Founder, Olga Alexakos.

People came and went throughout the evening enjoying food, fellowship – and art. The warm space was decorated with the work of Niki and Michael Kapsalis, jewelry, and abstract expressionist paintings respectively Exceptional paintings grace the walls, but dozens of canvases tucked into the stalls at the end of the huge living room/studio beckoned and some guests said they hoped to see them one day.

The party was also the occasion for raising funds to benefit the AGAPW Excellence Tuition Scholarship fund. Among the items available for auction were photographs by AGAPW Vice President/Community Liaison Aphrodite Désirée Navab. Guests who bought raffles won jewelry created by Niki Kapsalis and designer scarves made by Sopia Alimonos.

Niki Kapsalis has been creating jewelry for a long time, but she made a radical break –literally and figuratively – after a trip to Croatia for years ago, where jewelry making is taught in its schools on a high level.

“I told my sister I wanted everything I saw,” and when she returned to Greece she destroyed what she had created up to that point and began anew.

She also makes clothing, which, like her jewelry is both for personal use and commercial purposes. Niki is also passionate about AGAPW and its mission.

Niki Kapsalis and Olga Alexakos

“I met Olga by a stroke of luck through a good friend who brought her one day to our loft,” she said, and they immediately became close friends. She was thrilled to host the event and looks forward to inviting AGAPW back.

Alexakos told TNH “We were blessed to celebrate another Holiday Season with family and friends! Our generous hosts and supporters Niki and Michael Kapsalis opened their Soho Studio loft for us so we were surrounded by great art!”

She summarized what she called “another active year for AGAPW”– among the many things she said she is thankful for during the holiday season – and has been busy with the Board planning for 2016. It’s all about bringing together and helping people. “Our events have become great networking opportunities for women as well as for men, of various professional backgrounds. We share information and support one another,” she said.

AGAPW events, Alexakos said, also enable Greek Americans “to connect with their heritage and build their professional relations within the community.”

“The Association of Greek American Professional Women (AGAPW) is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt, charitable and educational…and is an independent organization, started by and run by women on a volunteer, pro bono basis. Its mission is to expand career opportunities and promote community and leadership building among Greek-American professional women by forging collaborations among ourselves and establishing partnerships with other organizations,” according to agapw.org.

The post HOLIDAY FETES: AGAPW Holiday Loft Party Raises Scholarship Funds appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – The Youth Holiday Mixer hosted by the “Geros tou Morea – the Elder of Morea” chapter held under the auspices of the Pan Arcadian Federation of America (PFA) has become a nice way in New York to celebrate Christmas after recovery from the rush up to December 25.

The Arcadian Hall of the chapter, which is named in honor of Greek revolutionary hero Theodoros Kolokotronis, was filled with young adults enjoying food, fellowship and chill out and dance music of DJ Arcas – AKA Vassilios Valkanas, assisted by his brother Demetris, who is the chapter’s 2^nd vice president. Board member

Gloria Kapsinalis – assisted by her daughters Eleni and Ioannna –  was among the veterans who helped prepare and hold the affair along with Chapter president Apostolos Lagos, past PFA national president Demetris Filios, and Eastern District Governor Nicholas Kontoleon, who is also vice president of the Eparchia Kynouria on Long Island.

Kontoleon said the event, inaugurated for Christmas 2012, is an expression PFA’s recent commitment to a more youth-oriented philosophy. “We will focus on young adults and professionals through events where they can meet and network,” locally, but also nationally, “ he said.

Kontoleon looks forward to the arrival next Spring of young leaders from across the country for Greek Parade weekend. “There will be a social events and meetings that will facilitate the exchange of ideas and friendships…they will also experience our successful parade events and transmit what they learn back home.”

New York area leaders are preparing a 2016 schedule that will include networking mixers and cultural events. They hope to bring an exhibit, “Arkadia, the Untold Tale” from its current venue at the Greek Embassy in Washington, DC.

It consists of 64 photographs by acclaimed photographer Nikos Mourkogiannis. He is not Arcadian, but he fell in love with the region and the exhibit highlights its coastal areas.

A fundraising event for the Agios Savvas Regional Cancer Hospital is being planned in cooperation with the Athenian’s Society and the Hellenic Medical Society.

PFA recently donated $125,000 of medical machines and urgently needed supplies to the Pan Arcadian Hospital in Tripolis.

The post Young Arcadians Celebrate Holidays, Plan for New Year appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – In these times of homogenized languages in all countries, it was a joy to hear traditional Greek carols sung in the delightful dialect rooted in ancient Greek of the Black Sea region of Pontos when the Pontian Society Komninoi  of New York visited the offices of The National Herald during the holidays.

Led by the Society’s President, Dimitrios Molochitis, an environmental engineer born in Katerini in northern Greece with roots in Trapezounta and Sourmena on the Black Sea coast, singers, dancers, and musicians filled the building and the hearts of its inhabitants with music and memories.

Molochitis told TNH “We are singing the traditional holiday carols of Pontos accompanied by Pontian lyra,” the region’s traditional bowed string instrument.

He added, “They are the traditional Greek songs, but the children are taught to sing them with the Pontian accent. The practice sessions are also an opportunity for them to learn Pontian history directed by Eleni Tsitsatalidou.”

The society has three dance groups comprising about 55 children which are directed by Triantafillos Kalemkerides.

After visiting TNH, they divided into two groups to hit the main sections of Astoria. One band went to the 23^rd Avenue Ditmars Boulevard  area, near the Society’s headquarters, and the other visited stores on Broadway and the 30^th Avenue strip.

The Society’s new board of directors is developing some new initiatives with an emphasis on educational and cultural programs. “We will begin a series of four seminars on Pontian history and civilization and  are working together with the monastery of St. Irene Chrysovalantou where the presentations will take place. The first one will be given by Dr. Isidoros Sidiropoulos  on Friday, January 20 at 6:30 PM titled “The Greeks in Pontos, from myth to history.” On Friday April 1 “The monastic life and monasteries of Pontos” will be presented by the Very Rev. Ierotheos  Markopoulos. Dr. Haralambos Vasiliadis will present on Friday, May 13 at 6:30 PM “The Genocide of the Greeks of Asia Minor,” and on Friday, June 3 “Pontian  Customs” will be presented by Vasiliki Tsanaktsidou.

Greeks are hungry for the history of their nation, but even more so for the food of its many regions. The women’s division of the Society will present “Pontos Tastes”, dedicated to Pontian Cuisine on Sunday, January 31at 1:30 PM at headquarters.

Molochites emphasized the importance of educational programs for young people and noted they will be using material produced by The Asia Minor and Pontos Hellenic Research Center in Chicago. Handbooks on the history of Pontos will be used with elementary school students and the Pontian Genocide is for college age individuals. “These will be used to teach the children of the Association,” he said.

The post Pontian New Year’s Carols Resound appeared first on The National Herald.

TARPON SPRINGS, FLA. – On Epiphany Eve, January 5, at dusk, the Tarpon Springs Bayou – to be filled with thousands of onlookers for the following day’s Cross Dive – was as peaceful as could be. Yet if one listened closely, the sounds of Greek music emanated from the Tarpon Springs Yacht Club, where the local chapter of AHEPA held its annual Epiphany Banquet.

Archbishop Demetrios and AHEPA Supreme President John Galanis were the featured speakers among a guest list that included Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, Daughters of Penelope Grand President Connie Pilallis, Sons of Pericles Supreme President-Districts 2, 6, and 25 Andreas Christou, and Bishop Sebastianos of Zela. Also attending were the local clerics, the priests of Tarpon’s St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Fathers James Rousakis and Sampson Kasapakis.

Christou spoke of the hope for more of a presence for the Sons in Tarpon, and Pilallis expressed how she moved to Florida from Philadelphia 25 years ago, and ever since “you have all been my family.”

Galanis began his address by conveying how honored he is to serve as Supreme President “because of all those who preceded me” and all they did for AHEPA. In discussing the history of AHEPA, he also pointed out that Ahepans traditionally honored and followed the U.S. Constitution, but also the Greek Orthodox faith and culture.

To roaring applause, Galanis informed the audience about AHEPA’s pledge of $1 million for the St. Nicholas Shrine at the World Trade Center. He said that “the true gem of Orthodoxy will be at that site.”

He spoke about the word “Progressive” in AHEPA’s full name: American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association. He said Progressive represents the organization’s non-stagnant nature. He was happy to announce that of the hundreds of AHEPA chapters throughout the world, though most are in the United States, there are some in Greece, and in other parts of Europe, including one in Turkey.

Galanis told The National Herald how happy he is to see the “warmth, serenity, and friendship” of the Tarpon Springs AHEPA community. “It is definitely worth the trip coming down here for this,” he added, lauding the close-knit community’s camaraderie.

Archbishop Demetrios spoke at length about Tarpon Springs, noting that the community, which boasts the highest number of Greeks per capita of any American city, also has the largest number per capita of attendees to the annual Epiphany celebration – describing it as a “plithousa agora” – aka standing room only.

The archbishop spoke about the history of Epiphany, the revelation of God on earth, noting that in the early years of the Church, it was Epiphany, not Christmas, which was the focus of the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth.

Demetrios next turned to St. Nicholas at the World Trade Center. He spoke about the many bureaucratic hurdles the Archdiocese faced until ultimately ensuring that the Church would indeed be rebuilt. “Roman Catholics, Protestants, and Jews ask me: ‘how did you manage this?’” the archbishop noted, referring to how St. Nicholas will be built on such a prominent site on the international stage. His response to them: “we’ve had this site since 1892. It was destroyed on 9/11, and now it will be resurrected.”

Demetrios joked about how the new Church will be exponentially larger, as it will include a Shrine open to all as well as focusing on the needs of the local Greek Orthodox parish, by saying that it is really not any larger: “we always had a basement and the ability to build higher,” but they just decided to build horizontally instead of vertically.

Demetrios concluded by describing AHEPA as having begun in 1922 with survival in mind, but that in 2016 “it is no longer about survival – we have survived, so now it is about achievement.” To support his theory, he pointed to Chris Alahouzos, sitting in the audience, who if elected on March 15 would become Tarpon Springs’ first Greek-born mayor. About Alahouzos, the archbishop said: “think about the Ahepans of 1922 – could they have imagined that one day we would be having…mayors?”

Tim Keffalas, who is running for Commissioner in the same election and is the Secretary of Tarpon’s AHEPA Chapter, invited all Greeks, through TNH, to “come down here and join AHEPA.” He described Tarpon Springs as a wonderful community, and of the Epiphany celebration at the Bayou, he said: “that’s where I met my wife, in 1977. And we were married in 1979.”

L-R: At the AHEPA Banquet in Tarpon Springs: AHEPA Supreme President John Galanis, Archbishop Demetrios, Metropolitan Alexios, Daughters of Penelope Grand President Connie Bilallis, and Sons of Pericles Supreme President Andreas Christou.

The post Galanis Talks of “Warmth, Serenity, and Friendship” of Tarpon Springs’ AHEPA appeared first on The National Herald.

WASHINGTON, DC –The American Hellenic Institute Foundation’s (AHIF) Fourteenth Annual Conference on the Future of Hellenism in America recently held in Baltimore, MD perpetuated its mission of keeping the discussion of the promotion and preservation of Hellenism at the forefront in the community.

Each year the conference is held in a different U.S. city to spread the seeds of ideas it generates and to obtain feedback from local Greek-Americans. Conference speakers identified key challenges and opportunities facing community and offered suggestions for the future.

The conference was presented in cooperation with the National Hellenic Society (NHS), and was sponsored by SigmaPharm Laboratories LLC.

The event featured nearly 20 prominent speakers from across the country who analyzed key issues including the future of Greek-American organizations, religious and ethnic identity, promoting Hellenic values, and Greek education.

The political process and lobbying efforts were highlighted and speakers also identified how Hellenism could be promoted in the future through various channels, including business activities.

The perspectives of young people were also aired and one panel was titled “Looking to the Next Generation of Greek Americans.”

The concluding discussion tied everything together with the theme: “Where Do We Go From Here?”

AHIF held a dinner on the eve of the conference. Andreas Akaras served as Emcee and remarks were offered by Conference Chairman Aris Melissaratos Ambassador and Christos Panagopoulos of Greece.

Longtime Baltimore community supporters and members Nitsa Morekas and the Korologos brothers, Tom, John, and Lou, received AHI’s Hellenic Heritage and Public Service Award for the Promotion of Hellenism in America.

Congressman John Sarbanes delivered the keynote address. He spoke to the audience about the importance of Hellenism in the Public Service, a concept that he promotes in his travels across the country.

Sarbanes shared his belief that Hellenism and its values provide Greek Americans with a way to give back to the community and engage with the broader society and of the importance of spotlighting Greek-Americans striving to better the communities in which they live and work.

The congressman and the honorees spoke highly of AHI’s role in the community, and how its mission serves to advance Hellenism – its issues, and its principles – in the United States.

In acceptance remarks, Morekas and the Korologos brothers – the latter were sponsors of the event – spoke about how humbled they were to receive these awards, and Morekas said there were many she’d like to thank in the Baltimore community, adding how much they have meant to her.

Tom Korologos, on behalf of his brothers, said that in addition to the advancement of Hellenism in America, the community’s national issues and supporting Greece, Cyprus, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate should not be overlooked, and noted how important it is that AHI champions these issues and works to strengthen the vital relationship between Greece and the United States.

All the sponsors were thanked by AHI President Nick Larigakis, who emphasized that “We sincerely appreciate the generous sponsorship of SigmaPharm Laboratories, which is under the leadership of Dr. Spiro Spireas…Without its support, the Conference on Hellenism would not be the successful event that it is.”

For more information about AHI, visit ahiworld.org.

AHIF conference Honorees Nitsa Morekas and the Korologos brothers with Kaliope Parthemos (Chief of Staff, Office of Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake), Senator Paul Sarbanes, Congressman John Sarbanes, and AHI President Nick Larigakis.

The post AHIF Examines Future of Hellenism appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – In these times of homogenized languages in all countries, it was a joy to hear traditional Greek carols sung in the delightful dialect rooted in ancient Greek of the Black Sea region of Pontos when the Pontian Society Komninoi  of New York visited the offices of The National Herald during the holidays.

Led by the Society’s President, Dimitrios Molochitis, an environmental engineer born in Katerini in northern Greece with roots in Trapezounta and Sourmena on the Black Sea coast, singers, dancers, and musicians filled the building and the hearts of its inhabitants with music and memories.

Molochitis told TNH “We are singing the traditional holiday carols of Pontos accompanied by Pontian lyra,” the region’s traditional bowed string instrument.

He added, “They are the traditional Greek songs, but the children are taught to sing them with the Pontian accent. The practice sessions are also an opportunity for them to learn Pontian history directed by Eleni Tsitsatalidou.”

The society has three dance groups comprising about 55 children which are directed by Triantafillos Kalemkerides.

After visiting TNH, they divided into two groups to hit the main sections of Astoria. One band went to the 23^rd Avenue Ditmars Boulevard  area, near the Society’s headquarters, and the other visited stores on Broadway and the 30^th Avenue strip.

The Society’s new board of directors is developing some new initiatives with an emphasis on educational and cultural programs. “We will begin a series of four seminars on Pontian history and civilization and  are working together with the monastery of St. Irene Chrysovalantou where the presentations will take place. The first one will be given by Dr. Isidoros Sidiropoulos  on Friday, January 20 at 6:30 PM titled “The Greeks in Pontos, from myth to history.” On Friday April 1 “The monastic life and monasteries of Pontos” will be presented by the Very Rev. Ierotheos  Markopoulos. Dr. Haralambos Vasiliadis will present on Friday, May 13 at 6:30 PM “The Genocide of the Greeks of Asia Minor,” and on Friday, June 3 “Pontian  Customs” will be presented by Vasiliki Tsanaktsidou.

Greeks are hungry for the history of their nation, but even more so for the food of its many regions. The women’s division of the Society will present “Pontos Tastes”, dedicated to Pontian Cuisine on Sunday, January 31at 1:30 PM at headquarters.

Molochites emphasized the importance of educational programs for young people and noted they will be using material produced by The Asia Minor and Pontos Hellenic Research Center in Chicago. Handbooks on the history of Pontos will be used with elementary school students and the Pontian Genocide is for college age individuals. “These will be used to teach the children of the Association,” he said.

The post NY Pontians Celebrate, Plan For New Year appeared first on The National Herald.

The Association of Greek American Professional Women (AGAPW)and the global Greek networking organization ALLILONnet co-sponsored a cutting the New Year’s vasilopita in Manhattan on January 4.

The many guests also enjoyed a tour of the work of artists from Greece which were currently on display at the Soho venue.  Curator Irene Vandaraki , director of Vandiri LLC NY, spoke briefly about the art and the artists.

Olga Alexakos, Founder and President of AGAPW, who is also New York Coordinator and Advisory Board member of ALLILONnet, welcomed the guests and introduced the speakers.

The officers and guests of the Association of Greek American Professional Women (AGAPW) pause for a photo before cutting the New Year’s vasilopita.

(L-R) Irene Maragou, Aspasia Gounaris, Penny Tsilas, Irene Vandaraki – who curated and spoke about an exhibit by Greek painters on display at the venue in Manhattan’s Soho– Anthousa Iliopoulos, AGAPW President Olga Alexakos, Jenny Marketou, Marianthe Koulias, Agatha Mishto, and Dr. Stephania Spanos.

The post AGAPW Celebrates New Year – and Art appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK -The ballroom of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity was filled with the members of the community’s professional organizations in the New York Metropolitan Area on the evening of January 12.

The popular event which offered fine food, fellowship, and networking opportunities to individuals also fosters cooperation among the host groups for the benefit of the community as a whole and the promotion of Hellenism.

Cathedral Dean Father John Vlahos welcomed the guests and led them in the singing of the apolitikion hymn of St. Basil, for whom the vasilopita cakes are named.

A representative of each group cut a cake, which was then distributed to its members.

Amb. George Iliopoulos, Consul General of Greece attended with his wife Anthousa and was very pleased with the event that promotes unity and cooperation. “The biggest professional organizations have decided to do something together, and are committed other activities for the community’s benefit…In unity there is strength,” he said.

HABA Vice President Fanny Trataros, representing President Demetri Papacostas, was very happy “to see all the professional organizations be able to unite to kick off the New Year” and addressed New Year’s best wishes to all. She was especially pleased  to note the mentoring program HABA is developing with some of the other groups.

Hellenic Professional Women founder Maria Frantzis expressed gratitude to HABA for inviting the group to participate for the first time.  “It’s an important opportunity for Greek professionals to connect. Look around you! It should happen a number of times a year,” she said.  Their next event is a personal and professional development presentation titled “New Year, New You” at the New York Athletic Club on January 30.

Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Nikos Nikoalou said “I wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year and let’s do more events like this.”

Attorney John Stratakis, legal advisor to the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce (HACC) told TNH “Every group used to have its own vasilopita cutting and the beauty of this event is that everybody agreed to have vasilopita together and not have “your thing and my thing” but our thing. It’s a wonderful concept…there is an appetite for doing things together.”

HACC is preparing for its 22^nd annual joint shipping conference with the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce on February 11 at the Waldorf Astoria, and their next cultural event will be its March 25 celebration.

Hellenic Medical Society President George Liakeas told TNH that the event “is a wonderful opportunity not only to network with the other societies but to plan for the whole year. It’s important for the other societies to recognize our value as we recognize theirs. Our goal is to work with the others and bring on new people to address some of the issues the community has.”

He said one of those needs is helping the elderly and they are preparing a series of talks on elderly issues in the medical, legal, and financial sectors. HMS itself is preparing for its popular apokries-carnival dinner dance.

Hellenic Lawyers Association president Michael Hartofilis was very pleased with the gathering, “Like every year this is a very symbolic gathering,” he said. “The presidents of the organizations are wishing each other a Happy New Year and hopefully they will keep  in touch and exchange thoughts and ideas.” HLA will host its kickoff gathering for the year in the first week of February.

Nicholas Chamberas represents New York State Assemblywomen Nicole Malliotakis on a pro bono basis. He conveyed her regards and told TNH the event “It’s an extraordinary time to see how far Greek-Americans have come in this country…everyone is unified and everyone is having a good time and networking.”

The post Combined Vasilopita Brings Together N.Y. Professionals appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – The annual vasilopita cutting of the Athenians’ Society was its most recent excellent event and the first in the community to honor and bid farewell to Consul General of Greece Amb. George Iliopoulos, whose tenure in New York turned its fourth year on January 18 but which comes to an end this March.

Athenians’ Society President Panos Adamopoulos thanked the Board, giving special acknowledgement to his wife Sylvia, and all who contributed to the evening’s success. He highlighted not only the group’s popular social and cultural events, but their philanthropic work which includes having raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Brefokomio Athinon foundling hospital and the Mazi Me to Paidi organization which benefits children in need.

During his introduction of Iliopoulos Adamopoulos said “thank you from the bottom of my heart” for the support the Society has received from Iliopoulos and his staff, and paid tribute Anthousa Iliopoulos by noting that behind every great man stands a great woman. He also invited to the podium Greek Consul Manos Koubarakis, who attended with his wife Georgia and their newborn Alexandra.

Saying he made an exception to the rule of not speaking of personal relationship with superiors in public, Koubarakis expressed appreciation for both Iliopoulos’ friendship and leadership, especially noting the value of his and Anthousa’s advice about challenging task of raising a family in the diplomatic service.

The Society’s Vice President Tassos Mouzakis wished everyone a happy New Year with “health and prosperity and strength in our daily struggles to become better persons,” and then introduced Iliopoulos.

Mouzakis said it was a joy to honor to Iliopoulos for his service to the Diaspora and “his support for all our cultural and philanthropic endeavors, and we especially appreciate him for his messages about our Greek heritage, the state of our homeland, and his hopes for a better future.”

Iliopoulos was deeply touched. Thanking all for the honor and the gift of a clock which is replica of the famous Movado Museum Watch – Anthousa was also present a bouquet of red roses – he smiled and told the crowd “you did not think you were going to get away with just a greeting from me,” as he began his speech.

The comment was ironic because Iliopoulos proved to be a welcome master of the short and sweet speech. Nevertheless he was brief by community standards.

As it was, what they heard was unique from a Greek diplomat. After expressing his appreciation for what the Society and other organizations do for the community and for Greece, and for the advice they can offer the homeland, he presented some advice of his own, accompanied by the wish that they become even more successful.

Iliopoulos has often preached the valuable message of community unity and cooperation among its organizations, but on Sunday evening he urged them to adopt another priority – to become even more effective in the political realm, for their own benefit and Greece’s, by complementing t contributions to political campaigns by overcoming the civic stigma of low voter registration rates.

While praising the community for “preserving your Hellenism…in a country that is a melting pot” he urged them to become even more ambitious, advising them to set measurable goals, to raise the bar when they succeed, and to examine the reasons why when they do not.

He also took the opportunity to convey to the community the challenges of providing it with consular services during the crisis. “I was blessed with exceptional colleagues” who adapted, and were able to do “an even better job with one third the resources…a tragic reduction of staff and funding.”

Iliopolos concluded by saying that without his wife “my accomplishments would have been much smaller than has been the case.”

Accepting the reality of a diplomatic life, he concluded by saying “Anthousa and I will leave our hearts behind in New York,” with the city and friends they have come to love.

Adamopoulos thanked Society benefactors like Demetrios and Georgia Kaloidis and other community organizations for their support.

The guests who packed the hall of the NY Cephalos Cephalonian Society on a snowy Sunday night enjoyed fellowship and a buffet dinner and were also delighted by the musicians, vocalists Grigoris Maninakis, pianist Glafkos Kontemeniotis, and Kostas Psarros on Bouzouki.

The children were thrilled to receive gifts from Agios Vasilis, AKA Santa Claus.

L to R

Christina Skiadas, Tassos Mouzakis, Fani Pagoulatou, Vana Kontmerkou, Stelios Stroumbakis, Sylvia Adamopoulos, Panos Adamopoulos, George Iliopoulos, Paul Hatzikyriakos, Gregory Koulbalides, Manos Koubarakis.

The post Athenians’ Society Vasilopita the First Farewell for Amb. Iliopoulos appeared first on The National Herald.

NEW YORK – The Greek Teachers Association “Prometheus” held a symposium on Greek education in America dedicated to the memory of language teaching pioneer Dr. John Rassias at the Archdiocesan Hellenic Cultural Center in Astoria on January 17.

The presenters included Dr. Alexander Kitroeff, Professor of History at Haverford College, Dr. Maria Kaliambou, Sr Lector in Hellenic Studies at Yale University, and Alex Colombos.

One of the highlights were greetings from Dr. Rassias’ daughter Helene Rassias-Miles and his grandson Matthew.

Fr. Vasilios Louros praised the community’s exceptional teachers saying “without you the Greek language would have been erased” and presided over the vasiloptia cutting to begin the event emceed by Prometheus President Demosthenes Triantafillou.

Rassias’ language-teaching method was adopted by the Peace Corps and in 1978 he was named to President Jimmy Carter’s Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies.

A brief film featuring Rassias talking about his teaching philosophy and method captured some the passion and charisma of the great educator whose approach included drama and which was rooted in empathy for the student.

In the community he is known for chairing the committee appointed by former Archbishop of America Spyridon to study the challenges facing Greek education in America. Rassias’ efforts led to a report that emphasized two tracks: 1) Improving the teaching of the Greek language at community schools, 2) Establishing Greek heritage classes in English – 90 percent of Greek-Americans reportedly now marry non-Greeks, thus their children do not hear Greek at home – to ensure that Hellenic identity is preserved among those who don’t take language classes.

Triantafilou said Prometheus shares Rassia’s view and looks forward to working with his family and others to promote them and implement his ideas.

Kitroeff is in a unique position to offer his perspective on the importance of Rassias’ report in the history of the community through his work on the history of the Archdiocese of America that he is writing.

He said that the realistic approach is not to take children born in America and make them Greeks, but to make them Greek-Americans. He also noted that to be effective the teachers must adopt the philosophy the students experience in their “American” schools which emphasize critical thinking and active, not passive learning.

Rassias-Miles was deeply moved. She said she had hoped to convey some of his essence to the guests but saw that their appreciation for her father’s work caused her to receive back some of his essence and said that “love is the fuel that will keep his project aglow.”

William Spiropoulos School Principal Athena Krommydas and St. Demetrios of Astoria Afternoon Greek school director Timoleon Kokkinos were present and among the guests were Col. Antonios Neroulias Greek school director of the Hellenic School of the Church of Our Savior in Rye, NY  and Anna Megaris, director of the Greek school of St. John of Tenafly, NJ.

Colombo, who has Master’s Degrees in archeology, psychology, and Jungian psychology, used his presentation on the fascinating topic of who is buried in the Amphipolis tumulus as an example of how to get students excited about Greek history through the concepts of “history as mystery” and “the child as explorer.”  By giving children the mission of exploring who exactly is buried and Amphipolis and where might the body of Alexander the Great be, and with imagination and technology – there are video games with ancient Greek themes – learning about their Hellenic heritage can be made fun and exciting for young Greek-Americans he said.

Finally, Dr. Kaliambou of Yale University made a presentation about her book, “The Routledge Modern Greek Reader: Greek Folktales for Learning Modern Greek”  which teaches Greek through 25 Greek fairy tales and stories of everyday life – she also uses Greek dialects and non-standard Greek that Greek-Americans might encounter during visits – and even ancient Greek.

Dr. Thaleia Chatzigiannoglou, the new coordinator of education at the Greek consulate, spoke briefly about the Three Hierarchs, the great saints of the Orthodox Church who harmonized the Christian faith with Hellenic culture.

There was also an appeal to teachers to encourage students to participate in the Greek parade on April 10 by parade chairman Vasilios Gournelos.

The event concluded with a musical performance followed by a reception. Erasmia Voukelatos performed a piano piece by Franz Schubert and her student Alex Horen Farbrook dazzled with a Bach minuet on cello.

The post Dr. John Rassias Remembered at Prometheus Symposium  appeared first on The National Herald.