ΑHEPA Applauds Passage of Armenian Genocide Resolution in U.S. House

ΑHEPA Applauds Passage of Armenian Genocide Resolution in U.S. House In a victory for human rights, AHEPA applauds the passage (roll call vote) of H.Res.296, a resolution to affirm the United States record on the Armenian Genocide, by the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday, announced Supreme President George G. Horiates. "We commend and congratulate the Armenian American community for its decades of relentless hard work and persistent advocacy to attain the rightful recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the United States government," Supreme President Horiates said. "The House affirmed a historic truth and a commitment to human rights and ended the United States' denial of the first genocide of the 20th century. We also appreciate the resolution's recognition of a genocide against Greeks by citing the United States' history of providing relief to 'the survivors of the campaign of genocide against Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians.'   Horiates added, "We are grateful to the champions of the resolution in the House of Representatives, and we call on the U.S. Senate swiftly to follow suit. Finally, we thank community members who responded to all the action alerts issued and contacted their member of Congress. Your advocacy made a difference." On Monday, AHEPA issued a statement that urged the U.S. House to pass the Armenian Genocide resolution.  Philly IOCC Committee Honors AHEPA, Supreme President Horiates; AHEPA Donates $5,000 Photo credit: The National Herald The Greater Philadelphia Committee of the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) honored AHEPA and Supreme President George Horiates, Oct. 27.  IOCC Development Officer Lou Zagami and IOCC Greater Philadelphia Committee Chairman Anthony Pantazopoulos presented the award to Supreme President Horiates. On behalf of AHEPA, Horiates presented IOCC with a $5,000 donation to secure yet another shipping container that will be filled by IOCC with medical supplies for hospitals in Greece. AHEPA Happenings | Ottawa Chapter Donates $10,000 to Local Greek School  Canadian President Christos Argiriou and District 23 Gov. Anastasios Moussas attended a presentation by Sir Edward Codrington Chapter CJ-5, Ottawa, Ont., where the chapter donated $10,000 to Hellenic School Ottawa. Chairman George Mamalis, Past Chapter President Nikos Hatzitheodosiou and Chapter President Peter Mavridis presented the donation to community president, Tony Vanikiotis. House Passes Sanctions Bill, Senate Must Act "The American Hellenic community is outraged with the West's inability to take appropriate measures to stop Turkey from: pursuing its expansionist agenda, maintaining its ties with terrorist organizations, and perpetuating its violations of international law in the Eastern Mediterranean; all at the expense of the security and best interests of the United States, our NATO allies, and strategic partners. It bears repeating, Turkey is not a United States ally." - Supreme President George Horiates. It is time for the United States to impose strong sanctions on Turkey. Your Advocacy Is Working! The U.S. House of Representatives did vote to impose sanctions in overwhelming bipartisan fashion yesterday, passing H.R.4695 (see roll call vote), for which AHEPA conveyed its gratitude. Now the U.S. Senate must do the same. Take Action: Contact the U.S. Senate. Hold Turkey responsible. Learn more Participate: Protest the announced President Trump-President Erdogan November meeting. Get details Don't forget to follow AHEPA on social media:

Join AHEPA Today! In Our Own Words. What AHEPA means to us. Join AHEPA Now Upcoming Events & Deadlines November Greek American News Digest Editor's Note: Editorials, commentaries, opinion pieces, and articles are shared for information purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy positions of the Order of AHEPA, its affiliated organizations, and members.   Former AP Civil Rights Reporter Kathryn Johnson (Giannakopoulos) Dies The National Herald  (Oct. 29) Greek-American Kathryn Johnson (Giannakopoulos), a trailblazing reporter for The Associated Press whose intrepid coverage of the civil rights movement and other major stories led to a string of legendary scoops, died October 23. A longtime member of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation in Atlanta, she was 93.  read more House Passes Resolution Recognizing Armenian Genocide New York Times (Oct. 29) The House voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to formally recognize the Armenian genocide and denounce it as a matter of American foreign policy, a symbolic vindication for the Armenian diaspora made possible by a new torrent of bipartisan furor at Turkey.  read more Greece wins European creditors' approval to repay IMF early Associated Press (Oct. 28) Greece has won approval from its European creditors to repay part of its debts to the International Monetary Fund earlier than required, thus avoiding cumbersome interest payments. read more Turkish ambassador: Drillships to remain in Cyprus until resources are shared Ekathimerini (Oct. 28) Turkey's drillships and seismic research vessels will not leave Cypriot waters unless Nicosia includes Turkish Cypriots in its decision-making concerning hydrocarbon exploration, the country's ambassador to Greece said in an interview with Kathimerini.  read more Greece Offers Incentives, Diverse Locations for International Productions Variety (Oct. 24) As they began preparing "The Trip to Greece," the fourth installment in Michael Winterbottom's acclaimed comedy franchise starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, the creative team returned to the time-tested formula that made the previous three chapters so successful: a combination of food, wanderlust and the comedians' impeccable improv skills.  read more US Ambassador, Greek Foreign Minister Inaugurate Greek-US World War II Exhibition in Athens The Pappas Post (Oct. 25) An exhibition featuring a private collection of more than 300 historical items from the World War II era opened in Athens, Greece on October 24 at the Hellenic American University.  read more Little Greek Kitchen serves up food from scratch, fantastic view on Okinawa Stars and Stripes (Oct. 24) Five years ago, I discovered a lovely Greek restaurant housed in an old metal shipping container on Ikei Island, part of a small island chain on the east side of Okinawa.  read more AMERICAN HELLENIC EDUCATIONAL PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION ACTION ALERT October 29, 2019 CONTACT: AHEPA Headquarters PHONE: 202.232.6300 EMAIL: ahepa@ahepa.org The U.S. must impose strong sanctions on Turkey.  Uphold American values and security interests. Hold Turkey responsible. Contact Congress NOW! H.R.4695, the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey (PACT) Act, sponsored by Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-TX), is being considered on the House Floor right now. Take Action! Call your U.S. representative (find here) via the U.S. Capitol Switchboard and ask for your representative's office: 202.224.3121 Urge your U.S. representative to support H.R.4695, the PACT Act.  AHEPA Commemorates Oxi Day;  FDR's Words About Greece's Defiance Remembered WASHINGTON, DC - Supreme President George G. Horiates issued the following statement on the 79th anniversary of "Oxi Day" when Greece issued a defiant "No" to the fascism of the Axis powers, opting instead to say "Yes" to freedom on October 28, 1940. The Greeks successfully fought the Italian army, pushing the invaders back into Albania after one week. It would prove to be a costly military campaign for the Axis powers. "On this day, 79 years ago, the citizens of Greece took a courageous stand against tyranny and fascism and fought heroically to defend their autonomy," Horiates said. "President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had been an AHEPA member of Delphi Chapter 25 since 1932, took note of the gutsy defensive stand the Greeks made of their beloved homeland against the Italians, and eventually the Germans, when he told the AHEPA Supreme Lodge in an April 25, 1941 meeting: 'The heroic struggle of the Greek people to defend their liberties and their homes against the aggression of Germany after they had so signally defeated the Italian attempt at invasion has stirred the hearts and aroused the sympathy of the whole American people.' "Today, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, of which many of its members, including members of its Junior Order, the Sons of Pericles, fought heroically behind enemy lines in Greece during World War II, commemorates the 79th anniversary of 'Oxi Day.' It is a day to celebrate freedom, justice, liberty, and the passion of the Hellenic spirit. "Also, we sincerely thank members of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus who introduced a resolution to commemorate the anniversary of 'Oxi Day' and encourage the community to urge the U.S. House of Representatives to pass it. "Please take a moment to pause and reflect on this remarkable moment in our Hellenic history and grant consideration to how it is still very relevant today."