AHEPA Donates $10K to AHEPA Hospital in Thessaloniki
The AHEPA Family Leadership Excursion delegation visited Thessaloniki where it joined with AHEPA Chapter HJ-3 to visit the AHEPA Hospital, April 14. Supreme President Andrew C. Zachariades presented a $10,000 donation to the hospital. Members also distributed gifts to the patients of the pediatric wing of the hospital. Also, the delegation visited the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki. Prior to visiting Thessaloniki, the delegation visited with AHEPA chapters in Komotini and Thrace, April 13.
AHEPA Donates $10K to the Ecumenical Patriarchate
The AHEPA Family Leadership Excursion traveled to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to celebrate Pascha with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The delegation was afforded a private audience with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew where Supreme President Andrew C. Zachariades presented His All Holiness with AHEPA’s annual $10,000 donation to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, April 15. The delegation also discussed issues of mutual interest with His All Holiness. Moreover, His Eminence Metropolitan Elpidoforos Lampriniadis of Bursa hosted the delegation for a tour of The Holy Theological School of Halki on Easter Sunday. The delegation visited the school’s library which houses books and manuscripts that are more than 500 years old.
AHEPA Hosts Dinner-Meeting for U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus
The AHEPA Family Leadership Excursion delegation arrived in the Republic of Cyprus, April 18, and hosted a dinner-meeting for U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Kathleen Doherty that evening. Topics of discussion included the current status of the Cyprus settlement talks and U.S.-Cyprus relations. "We appreciated the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Doherty over dinner and thank the ambassador for her continued engagement with the Greek American community on developments in Cyprus," Supreme President Andrew C. Zachariades said. "The dinner-meeting was productive and insightful." On April 19, the delegation with have a series of meetings with Cypriot government officials, including President Nicos Anastasiades.
Spring 2017 Issue of The Ahepan is Out!
Hot off the electronic press! Check out the newly-released spring 2017 issue of The
Ahepan! Share it with family and friends by forwarding this electronic version.
Read about the legacy of the Greek railroad workers of Oregon and Southern Washington, AHEPA’s ongoing collaboration with American Jewish organizations, and one veteran’s special day in Nebraska. This issue also includes a Supreme Convention registration form. Finally, don't forget to catch-up on the latest ways AHEPA chapters are giving back through community service. Next Deadline: May 9, 2017
Deadline Extended | Journey to Greece
Study abroad this summer and earn 6 college credits in Greece. AHEPA, in partnership with Webster University, is sponsoring 20 students to visit locations like Athens, Delphi, Meteora, Hosios Loukas, Arachova, and Crete -- all while earning college credits!
Deadline Extended: Apply Today
Watch & Share: Journey to Greece Promo Video
More Info: Click Here
Rebuild St. Nicholas Campaign
AHEPA is determined to meet its Saint Nicholas Capital Campaign fund raising goal of $1 million. Donations--large and small--keep pouring in for AHEPA's #RebuildStNicholas capital campaign.
ICYMI | Sincere thanks to Hercules Spartian Chapter 26, Philadelphia, and Lincolnwood Chapter 396, Chicago for their $1,000 donations to the campaign!
TAKE ACTION!
Has your district or chapter organized a fundraiser for the campaign to #RebuildStNicholas? Take action and support AHEPA's campaign today! Please tweet about your fundraising activity by using #RebuildStNicholas to share your work with the broader community!
Share Media
St. Nicholas Appeal Video
AHEPA has produced its latest appeal video to help #RebuildStNicholas.
TAKE ACTION: Donate Today!
MORE TO SHARE: Initial appeal video released at the 94th Grand Banquet!
Project Update
NEW! | Image of Saint Nicholas under construction.
Live Webcam!
Thanks to a live webcam, you can watch progress being made with a first-hand look at the site where Saint Nicholas National Shrine will be build.
Washington Update
Tell Congress to Support Bipartisan Genocide Prevention Resolution
AHEPA commends the introduction of H.Res.220, a bipartisan anti-genocide resolution calling on the United States to apply the lessons of the Armenian Genocide in seeking to prevent modern day atrocities across the Middle East, and urges its passage in the U.S. House of Representatives, announced Supreme President Andrew C. Zachariades. U.S. Reps. David Trott (R-MI) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced the resolution on March 22. H.R.220 has 24 co-sponsors.
In addition to calling on the U.S. to draw on the lessons of the Armenian Genocide, H.Res.220's resolved clause includes the U.S. to also draw on "...the broader genocidal campaign by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Greeks, Pontians and other Christians upon their biblical era homelands."
Find & Urge Your U.S. Representative to Co-sponsor H.Res.220
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Special Focus - The Armenian Genocide
It's a New Congress! Help Grow the Hellenic Caucus!
The 115th Congress is well underway. And with it, the work renews for the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, led by Co-chairs U.S. Reps. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL) and Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY). The Hellenic Caucus begins the 115th Congress with 120 members.
Is your U.S. representative a member of the Hellenic Caucus? Click here to find out.
Download & Share: Action alert to help you outreach to Congress
The Hellenic Caucus has been an active, bipartisan group in Congress since its founding in 1995.
Upcoming Events & Deadlines
April
11 - 23 | AHEPA Family Leadership Excursion
30 | Chicago Greek Independence Parade
May
3 | AHEPA Family Capitol Hill Day
9 | Deadline: The Ahepan Summer 2017 Issue
21 | AHEPA Day
22 | AHEPA Wreath-laying Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery
Greek American News Digest
Editor's Note: Editorials, Commentaries, and Opinion pieces 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.
After Economic Crisis, Low Birthrates Challenge Southern Europe
New York Times (April 16)
As a longtime fertility doctor, Minas Mastrominas has helped couples in Greece give birth to thousands of bouncing babies. But recently, disturbing trends have escalated at his clinic. Couples insisting on only one child. Women tearfully renouncing plans to conceive. And a surge in single-child parents asking him to destroy all of their remaining embryos. read more
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Talks to FT about Greece, €86bn Bailout and IMF Participation
The National Herald (April 18)
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin talked about the “Greece Situation” in an interview with the Financial Times, ahead of this week’s spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and Alternate Finance Minister George Chouliarakis on Thursday will depart for Washington where the 2017 spring meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund will take place. read more
US will keep 'open mind' on any IMF aid to Greece: Treasury official
France 24 (April 13)
The US government will keep an "open mind" on any new loan package from the International Monetary Fund for debt-burdened Greece, a senior US Treasury official said Thursday. read more
Anastasiades: we are facing critical developments
Cyprus Mail (April 16)
President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades expressed hope that Cyprus will soon witness the end of the Turkish occupation of the island and the principles of law and peace will prevail throughout the island noting however that we find ourselves facing critical and defining developments for the future of our homeland. read more
Opinion | Greece Will Rise Again
Forbes (April 15)
Greece may not find its old glory days anytime soon, but it will rise again from the swamp of the recent six-year long depression, offering great opportunities for long-term investors. Democracy and human development will pave the way for the rise. read more
Turkey Sees No Need for Cyprus to Approve Israel Gas Pipeline
Bloomberg (April 13)
A Turkey-Israel gas pipeline deal could be built through Cyprus’ economic waters even without Cypriot consent, a Turkish official said, dismissing what some experts see as a key obstacle to an energy deal between the two Mediterranean countries. read more
Greek microsatellites UPSat and DUTHSat to be launched into space
Keep Talking Greece (April 18)
Two microsatellites, UPSat and DUTHSat, constructed in Greece will be launched into space on Tuesday, at 18:11 Athens time – along with 26 other similar microsatellites – from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA.The microsatellites will be transferred onto a rocket-carrier «Atlas V», destined for the International Space Station (ISS). read more