AHEPA update

 

American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association

Attention all AHEPA Family members, Delegates, Alternates and Guests! Tomorrow, Friday, June 23, 2023 is the final cut off for reservations at the Paris and Horseshoe Resorts in Las Vegas for the 101st AHEPA Supreme Convention at the AHEPA rate. The rates for these hotels will skyrocket after tomorrow, so if you have not yet made your reservations, DO SO TODAY! For your convenience, I've included links to all of our convention materials below.

Book Your Hotel Room!

Register as a Delegate, Alternate or Guest!

Review the Tentative Convention Agenda!

Want to get out of the hotel and take a break from the convention floor, or are you bringing family or friends who need something to do while you're in your meetings? Las Vegas has plenty to offer, whether it be a tour of the Grand Canyon or going to see a show on the famous Las Vegas strip! Click the links below to see some of what's available! You will also be able to book extra activities (not affiliated with AHEPA) via concierge at the hotel you choose to stay at.

See what else you can do in Las Vegas!

Buy Tickets for a Vegas Show!

We are all excited to see all our chapters and members again! Make your arrangements to be part of the summer fun!   Fraternally, Basil AHEPA E-News Volume 17, Issue 25 | Wednesday, June 21, 2023 AHEPA Family Takes Its Message to Capitol Hill After a three-year hiatus, we did not lose a step as we hosted a successful Capitol Hill Day on June 15, 2023! The day began with a Kick-Off Reception that included a briefing and remarks delivered by members of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues: Co-Chairs Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Chris Pappas (D-NH) and Vice-Chairs Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) and Dina Titus (D-NV). U.S. Reps. John Sarbanes (D-MD) and Grace Meng (D-NY) also stopped by and chatted with our advocates, who came from coast to coast. Afterwards, Hill Day advocates dispersed and walked the halls of Congress and met with well over 40 congressional offices to discuss the foreign and domestic policy priorities that are vital to the AHEPA family's mission. These include: strong U.S. relations with Greece and Cyprus, holding Turkey accountable for its illegal and provocative actions that are not in the U.S. interests, and strong investment for affordable housing for older adults and programs that provides lifesaving services to survivors of domestic violence and their families. The top objective of the day, however, was to work to grow the Congressional Hellenic Caucus. During the day, the group gathered for a photo on the Capitol steps. They were joined by U.S. Reps. John Sarbanes (D-MD), who helped to arrange the photograph; Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Grace Meng (D-NY), Daniel Goldman (D-NY), and Pat Ryan (D-NY). (Photo credit: House Photographer Phi Nguyen) On the eve of Capitol Hill Day, June 14, AHEPA hosted a reception on the occasion of the "Global Chiefs of Mission" Conference being held in Washington at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill. U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, attended and addressed the audience. U.S. Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis and U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Julie Fisher, also delivered remarks, commenting on the hard work of AHEPA. U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), whose father, Donald, also was a U.S. representative and an Ahepan; spoke movingly about his father's legacy and following in his footsteps as a public servant. AHEPA has a long tradition reaching out to our elected officials from town council to President of the United States. AHEPA was the first Greek American organization to meet with President Calvin Coolidge in 1923. Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Gerald Ford, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and U.S. Senators John Glenn, Paul Sarbanes, Paul Tsongas, George Voinovich, Claiborne Pell, Robert Kennedy, among many other Senators and U.S. representatives, have held membership in AHEPA.  Our connection to our elected officials spans our 100 year history and our Capitol Hill day events, which began in earnest in 2006, perpetuated this at last week's event. Thanks to all the members who travelled far and wide to participate! View Pictures from Capitol Hill Day 2023 AHEPA Presents Cardin with 2023 Pericles Award AHEPA presented U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) with the 2023 AHEPA Pericles Award during last week's Capitol Hill Day. Senator Cardin announced his retirement and will serve out the remainder of his term. Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas presented the award. Chairman of the Board Nicholas Karacostas, PSP, and Supreme Secretary Savas Tsivicos accompanied him. AHEPA bestowed Senator Cardin with the honor in recognition of his six decades of excellence in public service, for having served with integrity, and for championing human rights, especially as a vital component of American foreign policy. The Ahepans also held a short discussion about developments in the Eastern Mediterranean with Senator Cardin, who is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "We could not have asked for a better public servant to succeed Senator Paul Sarbanes and hold his seat in the Senate," Kokotas said. "We congratulate Senator Cardin on an outstanding career in public service, commend him for his unwavering commitment to human rights and wish him all the best in his future endeavors." 2023 National AHEPA Basketball Tournament Three game guarantee! Teams or individual players welcome! $300 Team Fee! Please reach out to any of the following for more information: Costa Papademetriou Manny Zafiros Themistocles Chronis AHEPA Partners with IOCC to Rebuild Houses AHEPA and the IOCC have a longstanding history of partnering together for humanitarian causes, most notably, shipping medical supplies to Greece valued at millions of dollars. AHEPA has partnered with the IOCC again to help rebuild communities across America that have sustained damage from natural disasters. Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas asks that every chapter try to coordinate with the IOCC to assist in this rewarding community service program. Download the flyer! To All AHEPA Brothers & Sisters in Greece… We are so pleased to announce that Our Friend and AHEPAN Brother & Creator of the Comedy Series of “Growing Up Greek In America”, BASILE will be in Concert for the FIRST time in Athens, Greece… for a Hilarious night of Comedy, that you and the family won’t ever forget! See him at the Votanikos Live Stage Theater! Tuesday July 11th, 8 PM  Purchase Tickets! Mavroyannis Scholarship Available AHEPA Educational Foundation Chairman George Vorkas, on behalf of Supreme President Kokotas, is pleased to announce its continued partnership with the Mavroyannis Family to offer the Constantine and Patricia Mavroyannis Scholarship. The Constantine and Patricia Mavroyannis Scholarship is open to graduate students who are either Greek or of Greek heritage and are enrolled in a PhD program in either theoretical physics or physical chemistry in the Faculty of Science at a North American university. The scholarship is in the amount of $5,000 and will be awarded in the fall semester. Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Constantine and Mrs. Patricia Mavroyannis, this scholarship recognizes scholastic achievement and an interest and commitment to studying theoretical physics or physical chemistry by providing financial assistance to Hellenic graduate students to pursue their studies in these fields. Learn More & Apply Here! Help Us Grow the Congressional Hellenic Caucus! The 118th Congress is well underway. AHEPA congratulates the newly established leadership of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues: U.S. Reps. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL) and Chris Pappas (D-NH), who are serving as co-chairs. We are also excited to see the Caucus establish vice chair positions and congratulate U.S. Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), who serve in that role. We look forward to working with the Caucus’s leadership, and the entire Caucus body, to help it meet its goals and objectives for the 118th Congress.   The AHEPA family can assist the Hellenic Caucus by helping it to grow. Membership stands at 95 U.S. representatives. View the Caucus membership list (Updated 6/20/23)  Please review the list. If you do not see your U.S. representative listed, reach out to ahepa@ahepa.org to learn how to contact your U.S. representative and to ask them to join. Thank you. AHEPA 2023 Supreme Convention   Book Your Hotel Room Now! Registration Form Sponsorship - Chapters Sponsorship - Corporate While It Lasts! Get Your AHEPA Centennial Merch Get it while it lasts! AHEPA centennial commemorative merchandise is available that includes a commemorative coin and stand and decanter set. Years of service and chapter officer pins, award plaques, and AHEPA t-shirts, watches, patches, and more!  Check it all out in the AHEPA Marketplace catalog. Upcoming Events & Deadlines June 23-24 | District 14 Convention  23-25 | District 11 Convention 30 | Supreme Convention Preregistration Due July 23-29 | AHEPA Supreme Convention 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 The ties that bind Israel, Greece, and Cyprus - analysis The Jerusalem Post (June 20) A strategic shift has emerged over the last decade and a half as Israel, Greece, and Cyprus increasingly share interests and values. This was the major message from diplomats, experts, and academics on the first day in Cyprus that brought together a unique group of people from the three countries. read more A defeat that builds Greece’s self-confidence Ekathimerini (June 19) Greece played a brave game in Paris against World Cup finalist France and lost 1-0 to a penalty kick before being reduced to 10 men on Monday, for the Euro 2024 qualifiers. The Greek players stood up to their famous rivals at the Stade de France, but three lapses of concentration by Konstantinos Mavropanos cost the team of coach Gustavo Poyet dearly. read more The Greek Monk Who Brought Mount Athos Cuisine to the World Greek Reporter (June 20) Father Epiphanios of Mylopotamos was the Greek monk who first brought Mount Athos cuisine to the world. The author of the book “The Cuisine of Holy Mount Athos” made monastic cooking, based mostly on fish and legumes, an important addition to the healthy Mediterranean diet, and very popular in its own right. read more  Now Available!