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AHEPA e-News! - Vol. 09 Issue 30 - Wednesday, July 29, 2015
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AHEPA with DAS Sloat (center) and her colleagues at the Department of State.
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AHEPA Talks Latest on Cyprus, Greece at
State Dept., Capitol Hill Meetings
Chairman of the Board Nicholas Karacostas, PSP, and Executive Director Basil Mossaidis held meetings at the State Department and on Capitol Hill, July 23, mostly on the topic of developments with Cyprus. At the Department of State, they met with Deputy Assistant Secretary Amanda Sloat, Nicole Lima Nucelli, Greece desk officer; and Larina Helm Konold,
Cyprus desk officer. There, they discussed the current state of the Cyprus settlement talks and reviewed AHEPA's spring leadership excursion that included a visit to Cyprus, where the delegation surveyed restoration efforts for Apostolos Andreas monastery and met with representatives from the UN Development Programme Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage who are working on the project. Also, USAID is one of the financial contributors to the project. AHEPA first visited Apostolos Andreas on a historic goodwill mission in May 2001. Karacostas and Mossaidis also discussed Greece's debt crisis with DAS Sloat and her colleagues.
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With Senate Armed Services Chairman McCain.
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On Capitol Hill, they met with: U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, co-chair, Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues; the Office of Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, member, House Committee on Armed Services; and the Senate Committee on Armed Services professional staff of U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who is the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. Chairman Karacostas and Executive Director Mossaidis also had a shared a moment with Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ).
The purpose of these meetings was to convey AHEPA's support for a provision in the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that requests an assessment of the security relationship between the United States and the Republic of Cyprus. The bill is in conference committee as the House and Senate work out their differences. All of the congressional offices with which AHEPA met are conferees of the bill. Also, Supreme President John W. Galanis sent a letter to conferees that conveyed AHEPA's position in support of the provision.
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AHEPA Welcomes U.S. Rep. Larsen to Hellenic Caucus
AHEPA welcomes U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) as the newest member to the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, announced Supreme President John W. Galanis. "We thank Congressman Larsen for joining the Hellenic Caucus," Galanis said. "We look forward to working with him and his staff on issues of importance to the American Hellenic community."
Membership in the Hellenic Caucus now stands at 122.
Senate Subcommittee Panel to Hold Hearing on Greece's Financial Crisis
Today, the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation will hold a hearing titled, "Financial Crisis in Greece--Implications and Lessons Learned Subcommittee Hearing." Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) will preside over the hearing. Witnesses include: Dr. John B. Taylor, Hoover Institution and professor of Economics, Stanford University; and Dr. Robert Kahn, Steven A. Tananbaum Senior Fellow for International Economics, Council on Foreign Relations.
ICYMI: Senate Nomination Hearing for U.S. Ambassador-designate to the Republic of Cyprus
On July 22, the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation held a hearing for nominees to become ambassadors to various countries. One of the nominees was U.S. Ambassador-designate to the Republic of Cyprus Kathleen Ann Doherty. Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) presided over the hearing. Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and former Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) offered lines of questioning on Cyprus.
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PHOTO GALLERY
Click the picture above for photos from
our Supreme Convention!
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REBUILD SAINT NICHOLAS SHRINE CAMPAIGN
ICYMI: Nearly $115,000 in donations to the campaign to help rebuild Saint Nicholas National Shrine at World Trade Center were announced by AHEPA family entities at the 93rd Grand Banquet held July 4 in San Francisco. From $37,000 from our Junior Orders, the Sons of Pericles and Maids of Athena, to $30,000 from the Daughters of Penelope, to nearly $48,000 from AHEPA chapters all across the AHEPA domain, the AHEPA family pulled together for an impressive demonstration of grassroots fundraising for such a worthy initiative. Thank you!
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!
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The Ahepan
NEW! The summer 2015 edition of
The Ahepan is out! Catch  highlights from the 41st Biennial Congressional Banquet, the AHEPA Family Leadership Excursion, and AHEPA's participation at the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March for voting rights. Of course, catch up on all the grassroots work of our chapters.
Click the icon to read the digital edition -- share with friends and family!
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Upcoming Events
September
26: National Leadership Conference, Washington, DC
October
2 - 4: District 5 Wildwood Weekend Reunion
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Greek American
News Digest
 Greece crisis: MPs pass crucial bailout reforms - BBC News - July 23 - Greece has taken a crucial step towards a bailout after its parliament passed a second set of reforms. The passage of the measures means that negotiations on an€86bn European Union bailout can begin. The reforms include changes to Greek banking and an overhaul of the judiciary system. Thousands demonstrated outside of parliament as the bill was debated, with protests briefly turning violent as petrol bombs were thrown at police...read more
Official calls for crisis talks over Athens park migrant camp - EKATHIMERINI - July 24 - A senior official in the Attica Regional Authority on Friday sent a letter to several ministries, Athens City Hall and other state services, requesting an emergency meeting next week to address how to deal with a burgeoning migrant camp in one of the capital's biggest parks. In her letter, Attica Vice Regional Governor Ermina Kyprianidou called for crisis talks on the situation at Pedion tou Areos, where around 250 migrants have set up camp over the past 10 days, and in other central squares...read more Turkey buzzes weakened Greece - POLITICO - July 23 - Turkish fighter jets and military helicopters have dramatically increased their incursions into Greek airspace, according to a study based on data from the Greek military, forcing the cash-strapped Greek air force to respond. On July 15, six Turkish fighters crossed into Greek airspace 20 times. Their visit followed aerial intrusions by Turkish military helicopters the week before. After a several years of declining numbers, Turkish air incursions into territory claimed by Greece are soaring, and so are the resulting aerial confrontations with the Hellenic Air Force...read more
The Scandalous Story Behind the Provocative 19th-Century Sculpture "Greek Slave" - SMITHSONIAN - July 24 - Karen Lemmey, sculpture curator at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, knew she was maki ng a bold move. In the museum's recently opened exhibition, Measured Perfection: Hiram Powers' Greek Slave, she installed the artist's 1849 patent application to protect his famous artwork Greek Slave from illegal duplication, juxtaposing it with a video clip of museum staff 3D-scanning Power's artwork. She did it, after all, at a building that was once the U.S. patent office, but the scan will allow the museum to print out a full-scale replica of the artist's work...read more
Brain Drain: Educated Greeks Flee a Nation In Economic Ruin - BRIETBART - July 25 - As Greece stumbles from one economic disappointment to the next, the country is now exporting something it desperately needs to retain; young, educated workers. Thousands of skilled Greeks are heading overseas to further their careers, leading to fears the deeply troubled nation could be facing a brain drain. Recruitment agencies in the UK have reported a steady rise in the number of Greek nationals seeking employment in construction, teaching and IT. Online agency CV Library reports the number of visits to its website has more than doubled in the past year... read more
Microsoft Releases Greek Mythology Pack For Minecraft - GREEK REPORTER - July 25 - Fans of Minecraft and ancient Greek culture will be pleased to know that Microsoft has released a new Greek Mythology mash-up pack for Minecraft on Xbox. The pack, which is now available for Minecraft: Xbox One Edition, Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition, as well as other console editions at the price of $3.99, will include some of the players' figures from ancient Greek mythology. "Zeus, Poseidon, Athena and many more have descended from Mount Olympus to engage in all sorts of blocky adventures. Along with a custom texture set, new UI and 39 unique skins, the pack also has an original orchestral soundtrack composed by Gareth Coker. Build a pantheon fit for the gods, trap the Minotaur in an elaborate maze, or set sail for adventures across the sea - the world is your square oyster," noted the company... read more
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This is an electronic news service of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.
For more information visit the AHEPA Online Headquarters at www.ahepa.org.
1909 Q Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 Tel: 202-232-6300 Fax: 202-232-2140 Email: ahepa@ahepa.org
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