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Volume 20, Issue 5 | Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Sixth International Leadership Mission Advances Trilateral Cooperation Between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel Supreme President E. Chris Kaitson led a high-level delegation of Hellenic American leaders on the Sixth International Leadership Mission, a joint initiative underscoring the deepening cooperation among Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the United States. The mission brought together senior leadership from the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA), the American Hellenic Institute (AHI), and B'nai B'rith International, continuing a decade-long effort to strengthen strategic, intercommunal, and international ties in the eastern Mediterranean. Convening first in Jerusalem on February 22–23, the delegation participated in official meetings aligned with the sixth biennial Greece, Israel and Cyprus summit. Delegation members were received at the Presidential Residence by President of Israel Isaac Herzog, where discussions focused on regional security, diplomacy and cooperation amid ongoing regional instability. The delegation, which also included AHEPA Canada President Anstasios Moussas and Sons of Pericles Supreme President Basilios Ronstadt, engaged in briefings with senior Israeli officials, defense experts and policy leaders. Meetings included discussions with Mike Huckabee, as well as strategic briefings from Israeli think tanks and a visit to a joint command headquarters. The mission continued in Athens on February 24–25, where trilateral cooperation took center stage. Alongside Nick Larigakis, President and CEO of AHI, and Robert Spitzer, President of B’nai B’rith International, the delegation met with senior Greek defense and government officials. At the Hellenic Ministry of National Defense, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias provided a comprehensive briefing on regional security and the readiness of the Hellenic Armed Forces. Additional meetings were held with Vice Admiral Theodore Mikropoulos, Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Armed Forces, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greeks Abroad Yiannis Loverdos. While in Greece, delegation leaders also visited the Hellenic Parliament and toured a Special Forces training center in Nea Peramos, gaining firsthand insight into Greece’s evolving defense posture and strategic priorities. The final leg of the mission took place in Nicosia on February 26–27, where discussions focused heavily on energy security and regional defense. Meetings at Cyprus’ Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry examined current energy programs and exploration initiatives in the eastern Mediterranean. The delegation also met with Israel’s Ambassador to Cyprus, Orin Anolik, reinforcing diplomatic coordination between the two nations. Security briefings in Cyprus included meetings with the Cypriot Minister of Defense and a detailed assessment from Lt. General Emmanouil Theodorou, Chief of the Cypriot National Guard. The mission concluded with participation in AHEPA District 27’s Mid-Winter Conference and a gala dinner honoring former President of the Republic of Cyprus George Vassiliou. More than 200 attendees gathered to recognize his legacy, with the award accepted by Mrs. Vassiliou on behalf of her late husband. This sixth leadership mission builds on five previous trilateral delegations held since 2014 and continues to be widely recognized for strengthening cooperation between the American Hellenic and American Jewish communities while reinforcing diaspora support for the strategic partnership linking Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the United States. Organizers emphasized that the mission’s focus on defense, energy and diplomacy reflects a shared commitment to peace, stability and collaboration in the eastern Mediterranean. Celebrate America's 250th Birthday with AHEPA! Join the AHEPA Family at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown from July 26 - July 31 in the city of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, PA! We have an amazing week planned for you and hope you'll be able to join us! Please visit the links below for all you need to get involved! Registration forms will be available shortly. Book Your Room View Tentative Schedule Download Sponsorship Package   Division 1 Basketball Officials speak to Greek American Youth This month, Greek American Sports highlights a visit to a Division I Ivy League basketball game between Columbia University and Yale University hosted by AHEPA Chapter 98 and AHEPA Hellenic Hall of Fame Chairman Gregory J. Stamos for Greek American youth of the community. During the visit, the children had the opportunity to speak with the officials of the game, Sons of Pericles Past Supreme President James Googas and past Boston HUB Ch. 27 member Vasili Mallios regarding being members of the Greek American community and the importance of the AHEPA Family. Learn More at Greek American Sports DOP Salute to Women Announces 2026 Honoree The Daughters of Penelope are proud to announce Dody Tsiantar as the 2026 Salute to Women Award recipient. Life is not limited to one career path—especially when you have the courage to open the doors that appear before you. Dody Tsiantar, a Greek American born in Fort Lauderdale, FL, exemplifies this truth with a remarkable 30-year career spanning journalism, teaching, publishing entrepreneurship, and, most recently, photography. Ms. Tsiantar will be presented with the prestigious 2026 Salute to Women award during the Daughters of Penelope Supreme Convention in Philadelphia, PA on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at the Sheraton Philadelphia Hotel, in conjunction with the ongoing 250th Celebration of the United States in that city, this coming July. Your generous donations to the DOP Charitable Foundation Inc. supporting the Salute to Women event will help ensure this celebration is a memorable and a fitting tribute to this exceptional honoree. Donations can be submitted via the form linked below. Download the Form! AHEPA District 6 Family Holds its Third and largest Hellenic History Tournament Pride for Hellenism was in full display at the AHEPA and Daughters of Penelope’s New York State District 6 Third Annual Hellenic History Tournament (HHT) which was held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in New Rochelle, NY on February 28, 2026. Lead chairperson AHEPA’s Supreme Governor Region 3 Dean Moskos and co-chair DOP Grand Governor Zone I Lainie Damaskos-Christou, successfully led the continued efforts to provide students the opportunity to compete in a Jeopardy-style tournament of intellect and curiosity by choosing multiple choice questions in categories from Ancient, Middle and Modern Eras of Hellenic History from the Hellenika textbook by T. Peter Limber. This year the tournament was honored to have in attendance Mr. Petros Dorizas, Consul of the Hellenic Republic from the Consulate General of Greece to speak to the audience about the importance of educating our next generations of Greek-American and non-Greek students in Hellenic history and culture in the Diaspora. Read More District 26 Awards $28,000 in Scholarships AHEPA District 26 held its Scholarship Presentations on January 18, 2026 at the Hellenic Community of Vancouver. This year, through dedicated outreach and community support, a total of $28,000 in scholarships was awarded, and we were proud to recognize and celebrate each recipient. For the 2026 Scholarship program, AHEPA District 26 is pleased to welcome new partners and sponsors, including the Hellenic Community of Vancouver, the Hellenic Community of Surrey and Fraser Valley, the Arsoniades Family, and the Giorgi Family. We are also deeply grateful to our returning supporters for their continued generosity: the Clerides Family, the Liaskas Family, the Family of Dimitri and Antonia Bonnis, the Gionis Family, the Heras Family, Evelyn and Bill Economou, the Family of George Bonnis, The Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver (GOCEV), the Cretan Association of British Columbia, the Alevras Family, the Paul Michael Family, and the Mesotopitis Family.  One of the most touching moments of the day was the presentation of the AHEPA District 26 Scholarship in memory of Father Partsafas, delivered by Presvytera Partsafas—cherished by so many in our community like a beloved yiayia. Her presence and words were a powerful reminder of the legacy we honour and the values that continue to guide this program. Click to Book Your Hotel Room! Click Here to Order Tickets Click Here to Become a Sponsor Sign Up for 2026 Capitol Hill Day! The AHEPA Family returns to Capitol Hill this year on May 14, 2026! If you plan on joining the AHEPA Family at this annual event, please visit the link below and fill out the form. Sign up for Capitol Hill Day! The Winter AHEPAN is Here! The Winter 2025 issue of The AHEPAN has arrived! Get a sneak peek of it at the link below! Read the Winter AHEPAN Attention Chapters & Districts with Publications! The AHEPA Publications committee is now accepting submissions for the annual publications competition, in which District or Chapter publications (newsletters etc.) are eligible to win awards at the 2026 AHEPA Supreme Convention in Philadelphia, PA. If your Chapter or District wishes to have a publication considered, please contact committee chair John Melonopoulos via email to john.melonopoulos@comcast.net in order to request a questionnaire. The deadline for competition submissions is April 30, 2026. Applicants must submit two copies of their publication with a properly completed questionnaire. Publicize Your Chapter & District Events! Is your Chapter or District hosting an event you want publicized on a National Level? Starting this week, you can submit your event to have it posted on the AHEPA Website! Fill out the form linked below with your event information to have it publicized. Remember that this information will be public on our website, so keep that in mind before you submit personal phone numbers or home addresses. We recommend listing an email address as a point of contact rather than a telephone number. Upcoming Events & Deadlines April 15 | AHEPA Athletics Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Nomination Deadline 17-19 | Sons of Pericles Greeks in Atlanta Basketball Tournament 30 | AHEPA Publications Committee Submission Deadline May 13 | AHEPA 47th Biennial Congressional Banquet 14 | AHEPA Capitol Hill Day July 26 - 31 | AHEPA Supreme Convention, Philadelphia, PA Submit Your Events! 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 Greece, France and Germany send forces to Cyprus after Iran-made drone strikes Euro News (March 3) Both Greece and France have agreed to send frigates to Cyprus after a UK air base was targeted by Iranian-made drones on Monday. France will also send additional land-based, anti-drone and anti-missile systems to the country. Cypriot officials say France will dispatch a warship to Cyprus to help bolster the country’s anti-drone defences after several Iranian-made drones were launched towards a British military base on the eastern Mediterranean island. read more Greece detains man on suspicion of spying on US naval base in Crete, sources say Reuters (March 2) Greek authorities have detained a 36-year-old man on ​suspicion of spying on a U.S. naval base on ‌the island of Crete, a strategic facility for the United States in the eastern Mediterranean, police and intelligence sources said on Monday. The man ​was detained at Athens’ airport on information by the ​country’s intelligence service.Souda Bay in Crete is home to ⁠military facilities for Greece, the U.S. and the NATO ​military alliance, and recently, the U.S. aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford had ​visited the base for resupply before sailing to the Middle East. read more Commentary: Below Greece’s big few, there’s chaos Ekathimerini (March 2) The financial results of Greece’s bigger enterprises, mainly systemic banks and industries, which were released en masse at the end of last week, make for some very interesting reading. The companies in question are well-organized major groups, with profits running in the billions of euros, capital adequacy at historic highs, dividends distributed generously to satisfied shareholders, and returns reminiscent of a normal European economy. Their balance sheets appear robust, their management structures mature, and their outlook outward-looking. read more British military base in Cyprus targeted in suspected drone attack Aljazeera (March 2) The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force base ⁠of Akrotiri in Cyprus has witnessed a suspected Iranian drone attack overnight, the island’s president and the British Ministry of Defence said, after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK would allow the United States to use its bases to attack Iran. “All the competent services of the republic are on alert and in full operational readiness,” President Nikos Christodoulides said in a speech on Monday, adding that the Shahed-type unmanned aerial ‌vehicle caused minor damage when it crashed into the military facilities at 12:03am (22:00 GMT). read more UK considering sending warship to Cyprus; government to charter flight from Oman ‘in the coming days’– UK politics live The Guardian (March 3) John Healey, the defence secretary, is considering sending a Royal Navy destroyer to Cyprus to help defend British bases there after several apparently hostile drones targeted RAF Akrotiri on the island. Defence sources said a deployment of HMS Duncan, currently in Portsmouth, was under discussion as a way to better protect the base in Cyprus – though another said it was possible one of two other destroyers might be sent as an alternative. read more This is an electronic news service of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association. 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