Vol. 15 Issue 3 | Wednesday, January 20, 202
AHEPA E-News
AHEPA Collaboration Leads to $150K Donation to New Jersey Food Banks, Feeding Thousands
AHEPA collaborated with Delta Dairy to donate $150,000 worth of yogurt to New Jersey food banks, announced Supreme President George Horiates.
"Our international AHEPA Cares initiative to give back and respond in these trying times is ongoing and continues to make a difference in people's lives," Supreme President Horiates said.
“Delta Dairy is really a class act,” Brother Dr. Zenon Christodoulou, who orchestrated the donation in collaboration with Delta Dairy, said. “They are great to deal with and are very civically minded."
He added, “The food bank told us this was one of the biggest direct donations they have ever received and what made it even more beneficial was the healthy nature of the yogurt. Thousands of families enjoyed the highest quality and best tasting dairy product available. It made a real difference in their health and well-being.”
Brother Christodoulou (pictured) also chairs the AHEPA Cyprus and Hellenic Affairs Committee and is a past District 5 governor.
U.S. Embassy Athens Commended for Greece Bicentennial Campaign Launch
AHEPA commended the U.S. Embassy in Athens on the launch of its year-long campaign to commemorate Greece’s Bicentennial entitled “USA & Greece: Celebrating 200 Years of Friendship" in a January 15 statement issued by Supreme President George G. Horiates.
"We are pleased to see a campaign that highlights stories of friendship and the historical connection between our people of Greece and the United States; educates and celebrates the role American Philhellenes played in Greece’s fight for independence; champions entrepreneurship; and overall, displays pride and commitment to the strategic partnership between two allied countries, Greece and the United States," he said.
read more
watch interview
Secretary of State Nominee's Confirmation Hearing Held; Sanctions on Turkey Addressed
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a nomination hearing for the Honorable Antony J. Blinken (testimony), who is the nominee for Secretary of State by President-elect Joseph Biden, Jr., yesterday.
Committee Chairman James Risch (R-ID) and Ranking Member Robert Menendez (D-NJ) presided over the hearing.
In opening remarks, Sen. Menendez cited Turkey's aggressive behavior against democratic allies, Greece and Cyprus. Chairman Risch added, "we have serious problems in Turkey."
watch hearing
In regard to Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system, Blinken called it "unacceptable" and added, "we'll need to take a look at the impact that the existing sanctions have had, and then determine if there is more that needs to be done," according to reporting from Kathimerini Washington Correspondent Katerina Sokou. Blinken responded to Senator Lindsey Graham's (R-SC) question, "Do you believe Turkey needs to continue to be sanctioned until they change their behavior?"
The Ahepan!
Catch the Winter 2020 edition of The Ahepan magazine that commemorates U.S.-Greece relations as Greece prepares to celebrate the bicentennial of its independence. The issue also features a preview of the 2021 Supreme Convention to be held in Athens and showcases AHEPA family chapters' community service work and affordable elderly housing program.
Greece Is the Word in 2021
Make Reservations! | Athens Supreme Convention
AHEPA is preparing for the 99th AHEPA Family Supreme Convention to be held in Athens, Greece, July 25 to 31, 2021. The official convention hotel will be the Hotel Grande Bretagne. Reservation deadline is March 31, 2021.
Greece will be celebrating the bicentennial of its independence in 2021 and the AHEPA family will be there to join in the celebration! See you there!
New! Make Reservations | more info
Don't miss out!
100th anniversary member data project underway
AHEPA recently launched a comprehensive 100th Anniversary member data verification project, announced Supreme President George G. Horiates.
"We are requesting all members of AHEPA to contact us for this important project and encourage you to be a part of the Centennial celebrations," Horiates said, adding that members should have received an email with detailed instruction this week. "We've assembled the information currently listed in our member files and now need your help to confirm the accuracy of your data and fill in any information gaps."
Up-to-date member information is critical in helping AHEPA promote the ancient Hellenic ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism. That's why it's so important to call.
Please call 1-888-827-6103 (toll-free) to take care of this important matter today.
Calendar of Events & Deadlines
February
1 | Deadline: Submissions for Spring AHEPAN
March
31 | Deadline: AEF scholarship applications
Apply here
31 | Deadline: 2021 Supreme Convention
reservations
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In our own words. What AHEPA means to us.
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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.
Archbishop Elpidophoros to Offer Prayer at Virtual Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service on Thursday at the National Cathedral
GreekNews Online (Jan. 19)
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America has been invited by the Presidential Inaugural Committee to offer prayer at the Virtual Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. The Service will be held on Thursday, January 21, at 10:00 AM ET. Then-President Joe Biden will join the virtual event hosted by the Washington National Cathedral, and the service will be live-streamed at https://bideninaugural.org/watch and https://cathedral.org with closed captioning and ASL provided. read more
Turkey, Greece Disagree Over Agenda of Exploratory Talks
Bloomberg (Jan. 18)
Turkey and Greece are struggling to agree on an agenda for talks next week meant to defuse years of conflict over sovereignty and energy rights, casting a pall on the potential for success.
read more
Greece starts COVID-19 vaccinations among the elderly
Reuters (Jan. 16)
Greece kicked off COVID-19 vaccinations among the elderly on Saturday, after first inoculating tens of thousands of frontline workers to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
read more
Greek parliament approves purchase of Rafale fighters from France
Reuters (Jan. 14)
Greek lawmakers approved the purchase of 18 Dassault-made Rafale jets from France for 2.5 billion euros ($3.04 billion) on Thursday, in a deal due to be signed by the Greek and French defence ministers later this month. read more
Ushering in a new era of innovation in Greece – AWS office launch in Athens
Amazon Web Services Blog (Jan. 15)
When speaking about Greece, people normally start by talking about its scientists and philosophers from antiquity. But during my visits to Athens last year, I was impressed by how the city nurtures its innovators and reinvents itself thanks to technology, placing Greece at the forefront of the digital economy. read more
How a Historian Got Close, Maybe Too Close, to a Nazi Thief
New York Times (Jan. 17)
Over nearly a decade, Jonathan Petropoulos met dozens of times with a man who helped the Nazis loot Jewish art collections, a complicated relationship he explores in “Göring’s Man in Paris.” read more | The National Herald
International Greek Ancestry Conference Jan. 29-31
The National Herald (Jan. 15)
Gregory Kontos knew at the age of 14 that he wanted to become a historian. Kontos, who was born in Belgium and raised in Athens and Patras, studied history at the University of Athens, and completed a ResMA at Leiden University in the Netherlands, with a specialization in migration and nationalism.
