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!”