Dr.James F. Dimitriou
President & Chairman
American Hellenic Council
![image-title](https://americanhellenic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PIC-9.11-ANN.png)
Dr.James F. Dimitriou
President & Chairman
American Hellenic Council
All will remember the heroic Archbishop Christosomos of Smyrna, who was most brutally tortured, stabbed multiple times while his beard was pulled off and his eyes gauged out before the Turkish Army dragged his tortured body through the streets!
May his memory be forever eternal!
Dr.James F. Dimitriou
President & Chairman
American Hellenic Council
Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Smyrna Killed by Turkish Mob during the “Great Fire of Smyrna”
On behalf of the American Hellenic Council, I would like to thank Mayor of Los Angeles, Mr. Eric Garcetti, and the City Council for the Official Commemoration of the Bicentennial of Greek Independence on the evening of March 25th. In a spectacular demonstration, the Los Angeles City Hall and fountains were all lit up in blue and white!
A special thank you is also extended to all who supported the recognition of this auspicious occasion:
Lt. Governor, Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis;
Los Angeles Councilman Paul Koretz;
Consul General of Greece, Hon. Eugenia Beniatoglou;
Nick Patsagouras, Former President of the Southern California Rapid Transit District;
Dr. James Birakos, Former Executive of the Los Angeles Smog District;
Dr. Sharon Gerstel, Director of the Stavros Niarchos Center, UCLA;
Dr. Christina Bogdanou, Director of the Basil B. Caloyeras Center, LMU.
Finally, the American Hellenic Council wishes to thank our co-sponsors of the event,
President, Taso Zographos of the United Hellenic American Societies (UHAS)
President, Shelly Papadopoulos, Greek Heritage Society of Los Angeles.
Ζήτω η Ελλάς!
Dr.James F. Dimitriou
President & Chairman
American Hellenic Council
Days before the 200th Anniversary of Greek Independence, members of the Greek American community in Los Angeles began efforts to light Los Angeles City Hall in blue and white in commemoration of Greece’s Bicentennial. President of AHC, Jim Dimitriou approached Jim Birakos, a knowledgable city government executive, who was the Dep. Executive Officer of the Los Angeles County Air Pollution Control District and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Earlier attempts to accomplish the lighting had proven unsuccessful and following their discussion, a plan was set in motion. Nick Patsaouras, the past president of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the Water and Power Commission (DWP), who was recently appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti to head the city’s program for the homeless, was brought into the plan.
Despite event scheduling conflicts and a previous commitment by City Hall, following work on the City Council level and relentless effort by members of our community, Los Angeles City Hall celebrated Greece’s Bicentennial.
On March 25, 2021, Los Angeles City Hall lit up the civic center in Greek colors, blue and white. Present for the lighting were the Consul General of the Hellenic Republic, Eugenia Beniatoglou, Sharon Gerstel, Director of the UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture, Christina Bogdanou, Director of the Basil P. Caloyeras Center
for Modern Greek Studies at Loyola Marymount, Jim Birakos, Nick Patsaouras and AHC President, Dr. James F. Dimitriou.
Across the county, on the west side of Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel was also adorned in blue and white colors and celebratory messages.
Consul General Eugenia Beniatoglou, who played an integral role in the event, said,
“Thank you Mayor Garcetti for the great honor in support of the bicentenary of modern Greece. We are truly grateful that the Los Angeles City Hall joined other landmarks around the globe to celebrate this, the 200th Anniversary of Greek Independence. We are also grateful to our local community advocates, the American Hellenic Council, represented by Jim Dimitriou, Jim Birakos, Nick Patsaouras and the many others who voiced their support and helped make the lighting of both the Los Angeles City Hall and the Santa Monica Pier, a reality. Echoing the sentiments of President Sakellaropoulou, Prime Minister Mitsotakis, the opposition leader, Mr. Alexis Tsipras, and political leaders of the Hellenic Parliament, the Greek Diaspora has always been Greece’s greatest advocates and we share with them this great celebration of our 200 years of Independence!”
President Katerina Sakellaropoulou sent a message of gratitude to the Greek Diaspora, whose,
“…self-denial and selfless contribution contributed to the awakening of the Greek national conscience and to the preparation of the struggle, supporting in every way and means this sacred purpose.”
Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, shared a message for all Greeks of the Diaspora, recognizing the contributions of Greek expatriates, who during the time of the Struggle fought for Greece, through advocacy, sending resources and, in many cases, joining in arms, returning to their homeland, to fight in battle.
President Joe Biden speaks to Greeks and Greek-Americans in celebration of the Bicentennial of Greece’s Independence,
“We’re two people rooted in the common conviction that every human being is entitled to be treated with dignity. And it’s our shared commitment to liberty, human rights, and the rule of law that empowers us to write our own futures — whether two hundred years ago or today.”
The Annual White House Greek Independence Day Commemoration took place, with many leaders of the Greek-American community in attendance. The White House was represented by not only President Joe Biden, but by our very own Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary.
All organizations from the Hellenic Advocacy community were in attendance, including the American Hellenic Council.
“On behalf of the American Hellenic Council, I am very proud to have participated in the White House Commemoration of the Bicentennial of Greece. We shared a session with both the Greek American members of Congress as well as the leaders of our Greek American organizations. The 200 years of Greek Independence is marked with a profound renewal of Greek-American friendship and cooperation marked by both President Biden & Archbishop Elpidophoros! As President Biden quoted Aristotle, ‘the friendship between our two nations is like two people sharing one soul.’” – Dr. James F. Dimitriou, President, American Hellenic Council
US-Greek relations are the best they’ve been in modern history. Our friendship began during Greece’s war for independence and Greece’s 2021 bicentennial is an opportunity to celebrate this history and the values of liberty and democracy our peoples have defended for over 200 years.
—Geoffrey Pyatt, US Ambassador to Greece
It is with great pride and humility, that we commemorate the Bicentennial of Greece’s Independence. Proud allies and friends throughout these 200 years of history, in war time and peace, the United States and Greece have never been stronger in their relations and mutual commitment to freedom and human rights.
It is with this keen sense of patriotism and friendship that the American Hellenic Council and the City of Los Angeles commemorate the 200 Years of Freedom as we light Los Angeles Hall in the Greek colors of blue and white on the week of March 25th, 2021.
The AHC shares in the co-sponsorship of this historic event with the United Hellenic Societies of Northern California.
Ζήτω η Ελλάς!
Dr. James Dimitriou
President, American Hellenic Council of California
U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.),Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was joined by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in introducing a bipartisan Senate resolution commemorating the 200thanniversary of Greek Independence Day, March 25, 2021. The bipartisan resolution celebrates the commitment to democracy that Greece and the United States share as well as the two nations’ lasting partnership and rich history of friendship.
The Resolution:
Find the full text of the resolution HERE.
The following historical article was published in “Today’s World” magazine in 1974. This is an historical look at Cyprus that Professors Theodore Saloutos and Spyros Vyonis had asked me to write when we first organized “The Save Cyprus Council.” In addition, as the first secretary of the Council I wrote several “Letters to the Editor” to many American newspapers as well as pamphlets distributed at our first rallies at Griffith Park, Redondo Beach, Pasadena and other communities.
Before writing the article, one of my visits to Cyprus was to conduct interviews and research just prior to the invasion on July 20, 1974. My primary interview at the time was with Archbishop Makarios III, the first President of the Republic of Cyprus. This turned out to be the last interview he granted before leaving office. On July 19th I left Cyprus to return to Greece, the day prior to the Turkish invasion! As Greece mobilized, I left from Patras to Brindisi and on to Geneva. There I attended the preliminary peace talks before returning to the US.
When President Makarios later traveled to the US, I was honored by being asked to travel with his delegation ending in his presentation for the “Save Cyprus Council.”
The following year I was to travel to Turkey when the US Embassy informed me that I was designated a “persona non-grata” and denied admission to Turkey for the next 7 years.
Dr. James F. Dimitriou
President, American Hellenic Council
Statement of the President of the American Hellenic Council on the violent insurrection that took place on January 6, 2021 in the US Capitol:
At a time of great stress we must condemn the insurrection by the rioters in the U.S. Capitol yesterday. Our great nation was built on the foundation of democracy and respect for the rule of law. America’s Founding Fathers wisely based the U.S. Constitution on the concept of democracy that was first recognized by the ancient Greeks. As such we must stand up and condemn the violent actions that resulted in the storming of the U.S. Capitol when Congress was deliberating. We must condemn those who do not respect the rule of law and our democratic principles.
We cannot stand silent when the rule of law has been violated at the very core of our democracy. We are, and remain, “One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all!”
We must call for democratic rule, for calm and for justice. We must heal our wounds and speak out against those that turn to violence and insurrection.
In the words of Plato:
“Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.”
Respectfully,
Dr. James F. Dimitriou
President & Chairman
American Hellenic Council
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the American Hellenic Council I would like to extend our wishes for a Happy New Year with the hope of a brighter tomorrow! I wanted to wish all of our members and supporters the spirit and strength for the coming year!
It has been a year of great difficulty, loss and turmoil for us all. Together we stand stronger and face the future with great hope and purpose. The AHC has faced every challenge and danger with increasing resolve and determination. Together we face a New Year of hope and determination. We continue to stand for the improvement of relations and cooperation between the United States with Greece and Cyprus. With the resolute efforts of the Hellenic Caucus we stand for a justice, determination and hope!
Thank you for your support and faith in our efforts!
Best wishes for the coming year!
Me Yia,
Dr. James F. Dimitriou
President & Chairman
American Hellenic Council
As 2020 has drawn to an end and the New Year dawns, let’s remember the many gifts of life. Being with our loved ones, our friends, our communities, on this beautiful planet. Many wishes to all for a healthy, fulfilling, a Happy New Year. Let’s remember and contemplate some simple but most important questions: Who are we? Where are we going? What is our purpose?
Menas C. Kafatos, Ph.D.
Member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, and past President,
American Hellenic Council
On behalf of everyone at AHC we wish you a healthy and happy new year and want to express our sincere gratitude for your continuing support during these difficult circumstances. We look forward to seeing you all as soon as the pandemic is behind us and until then please stay safe.
Michael Sarris
Vice President, American Hellenic Council