WASHINGTON (February 23, 2017) — The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA), the leading association for American citizens of Hellenic heritage and Philhellenes, joined American Jewish community leaders at events held with Cypriot government officials in Nicosia, Cyprus, February 22, 2017, announced Supreme President Andrew C. Zachariades.
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, a central coordinating body for American Jewry representing 50 national Jewish organizations, visited Cyprus as part of its 2017 Leadership Mission. AHEPA Chairman of the Board Nicholas A. Karacostas and AHEPA Executive Director Basil Mossaidis represented the Order and were on-hand to greet their colleagues from the American Jewish community. Together, with American Hellenic Institute President Nick Larigakis, they attended a series of one-day events that included meetings with: President of the Republic of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulidis, Defense Minister Christoforos Fokaides, and Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis, who is the Greek Cypriot negotiator for the Cyprus issue, among other officials. U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus Kathleen Doherty also attended events.
“We thank Supreme President Zachariades for the opportunity to represent AHEPA today,”
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(L-R): Executive Director Mossaidis, B’nai B’rith International President Gary Saltzman, B’nai B’rith International Executive V.P./CEO Daniel Mariaschin, AHI President Larigakis, and Chairman of the Board Karacostas.
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Karacostas said. “We were pleased to welcome and join our colleagues for their important visit to Cyprus.”
He added, “We are proud to provide continued diaspora support and encouragement for advancing the trilateral relationship between Cyprus, Israel, and Greece, which lends stability to the eastern Mediterranean region. We are especially grateful to President Anastasiades, and all of the Cypriot government officials with whom we met, for the time they afforded us that helped to make this one-day mission a success.”
In January 2016, AHEPA, the American Hellenic Institute, B’nai B’rith International, and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations completed their second Leadership Mission to Israel, Cyprus and Greece. The groundbreaking inaugural mission was held in January 2014.
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Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, on the principles that undergirded its fight for civil rights and against discrimination, bigotry, and hatred felt at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, AHEPA is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 400 chapters across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
AHEPA’s mission is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence through community service and volunteerism.
For more information, please visit www.ahepa.org.
