AHEPA's latest news

AHEPA Commends Trump Administration for Nixing Small-Arms Sale; Thanks Congress AHEPA commends the Trump administration for withdrawing a proposal to sell approximately 1,600 U.S. semi-automatic pistols that would have eventually found their way to the security detail of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced Supreme President Carl Hollister. Fifteen Turkish security officials, and four others, were indicted for their roles in the brutal attack upon peaceful American protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C., May 16, 2017. In June, the U.S. House of Representatives condemned the violence. "We commend the Trump Administration for reaching a just and proper decision to withdraw this proposed small-arms sale," Supreme President Hollister said. "The May attack was an assault on the First Amendment Constitutional rights of American citizens, and it was not the first one carried-out by the Turkish president's security detail in the U.S. The administration's decision sends a clear and correct message to Turkish officials that thuggery and the blatant disregard of our fundamental Constitutional rights on U.S. soil will not be rewarded." The supreme president added the Order's gratitude to members of Congress, who conveyed bipartisan objection to the proposed small-arms sale.  "We appreciated the strong, bipartisan objection to the proposed sale voiced by the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, Congressional Armenian Caucus, and several senior members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committees," he said. "Their strong advocacy contributed to the administration reaching this correct decision." In June, then-Supreme President Andrew C. Zachariades sent a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson opposing the proposed arms sale and supported a Hellenic Caucus-led letter. In July, AHEPA backed legislative measures in the House of Representatives aimed to halt the proposed sale.   AHEPA Meets with Archbishop Demetrios Photo Credit: GOA. Supreme President Carl Hollister met with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America, at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, New York City, September 18, 2017.  Among the topics discussed included an update on St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at World Trade Center. Executive Director Basil Mossaidis accompanied the supreme president. "It is always an honor to meet with Archbishop Demetrios and we thank His Eminence for the generous time he afforded us," Supreme President Hollister said. "AHEPA values its close ties with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America."  District Governors Conference a Success  We sincerely appreciate the AHEPA family's national and district leaders for taking the time to attend the 2017 Governors Conference, Washington, D.C., helping to make it a success as we plan for the 2017-18 administrative year. We are confident it will be another productive year for the AHEPA family.  In addition to the business meetings, participants attended the Washington Nationals-Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game and were provided the opportunity to take a private tour of the U.S. Capitol.  The conference was held September 15 and 16.  Video      "AHEPA Radio" is Launched We're excited to roll-out our streaming podcast, "AHEPA Radio." Listen on iTunes or Podbean to gain insights on the Order's programs and service projects as well as interviews with key figures in the community. Topics covered thus far: Supreme President Hollister's outlook for the year, hurricane relief, Educational Foundation programs, and Thalassemia (Cooley's Anemia). Disaster Relief Fund Opened in Wake of Hurricanes AHEPA has opened its Emergency Relief Fund to provide assistance to the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, announced Supreme President Carl Hollister. Hollister presented an initial $15,000 donation to the Houston community and pledged to raise $100,000 by month's end. read more donate online REBUILD SAINT NICHOLAS SHRINE CAMPAIGN   THANK YOU! AHEPA is on the cusp of meeting its Saint Nicholas Capital Campaign fund raising goal of $1 million. We are determined to meet it! Donations--large and small--keep pouring in for AHEPA's #RebuildStNicholas capital campaign.  Will yours be the one to get us to the historic $1 million milestone? Make your tax-deductible donation online by clicking here Share Media Latest St. Nicholas Appeal Video AHEPA has produced its latest appeal video to help #RebuildStNicholas.  Check it out and share widely! TAKE ACTION: Donate Today! MORE TO SHARE: Initial appeal video released at the 94th Grand Banquet PROJECT UPDATE MEDIA COVERAGE: New York Post: Agreement signed for Saint Nicholas National Shrine at WTC   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. WATCH: Live webcam of construction site

Upcoming Events & Deadlines September 21 | Federation of Cypriot American Organizations dinner in honor of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, New York City October  20-22 | Archon Weekend in New York City 25 | Deadline: Winter Issue of The Ahepan Join AHEPA Today! In Our Own Words. What AHEPA means to us. Join AHEPA Now 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.   Greece 'a pillar of US strategy in the region' Ekathimerini (Sept. 19)  The United States wants to see northern Greece become a gateway for the transportation of natural gas and commodities to the Western Balkans and Europe, US Ambassador in Athens Geoffrey Pyatt tells Kathimerini.  read more   Greece is fighting for peace in the Middle East ANA-MPA (Sept. 19)  Israel should take advantage of its currently strong position to resolve the Palestinian problem, while the West must stop "doublespeak and hypocrisy" and contribute to safeguarding Israel's security, Greece's Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said on Monday in New York. The minister made the statements during his speech at a World Jewish Congress event, where he was presented with an award. read more The Greek answer to Paris that you'd never thought to visit The Telegraph (Sept. 18)  I have always loved travelling to places I've seen in films or read about in books. The Third Man has taken me to Vienna, James Bond (From Russia with Love) to Istanbul, Peter Mayle to Provence and Ian Rankin to Edinburgh. I've wanted to visit Thessaloniki, which sits on the northern edge of the Thermaic Gulf, ever since I read Victoria Hislop's The Thread, a sprawling family saga that starts in 1917 and continues through the war years to the present day. It is largely thanks to her that I now spend so much time in Crete. Her novels aren't just very readable. They can turn you into a Hellenophile.  read more   Books | A Father and Son Sail Through Homer's 'Odyssey' Together New York Times (Sept. 18)  Daniel Mendelsohn is a classics scholar, a translator, a memoirist and a quick-witted literary and television critic. The idea of reading his account of being trapped on a theme cruise - the theme is Homer's "Odyssey" - is an attractive one.  read more