The Hellenic American National Council (HANC) joins all the other Greek organizations in the United States and the Greek Diaspora in the Celebration of the 194th Greek Independence Day.
The Greek struggle for independence against the Ottoman yoke was long, painful and destructive. A tremendous price was paid in human loss and material destruction. Most of the liberated area was living in misery, poverty and pain. All the ravages of war, however, did not stop the creativity, industriousness and ingenuity of the Greek people. Despite the many adversities they soon moved to a higher level in the political and economic ladder. In a few decades not only they surpassed in economic and other standards their former masters, but were also able to use their newfound power to expand their territory, first through the annexation of Thessaly (1881) and then through the victorious Balkan Wars of 1912-13.
Greece had many vicissitudes in this two hundred year period. She experienced the pinnacle of endurance and success in the 1821 struggle and the pinnacle of glory during the “OXI Day” period; and in between she endured the catastrophe of 1922 and the war of 1897. The dawn of the 21st century, however, found Greece as one of the most prosperous and educated countries in the world celebrating its second Olympic Games. Today things changed, once more, and Greece needs our assistance.
HANC and all the other Greek-American organizations should do their utmost to celebrate this special day by taking part in the many parades across this great nation, by assisting, money-wise and otherwise, in the success of those parades and finally by generously supporting our ancestral land, who is going through a very difficult patch these days.
Let us all join the celebrations and parades across this great nation.
Let us all support with our generous contribution all the worthy causes in the land of Heroes and the cradle of European Civilization.
Long Live the Greek Independence
Long Live the Eternal Spirit of Greece
Paul Kotrotsios
President
Ελληνο Αμερικανικού Εθνικού Συμβουλίου
Hellenic American National Council
Photo: Hellenic News of America’s Archive, Circa 1988
Paul Kotrotsios, President of the Federation, Demos Vasiliou, MC, Mayor Good, Congressman Gikas, Barbara Haffer, Menelaos Tzelios, President Pan-Epirotic Federation, Fr. Emmanuel Pratsinakis, Dr. Nikolaos Tsirakoglou, Past President, Achilleas Papadopoulos, President of the NY Federation, Judge George Koudelis, Fr. John Limberakis, Consul General Assimakopoulos, Justice Nicholas Papadakos, Rev. Demitrios Katerlis, Dean of the Cathedral of St. George in Philadelphia and Judge Collins. The Presidential Guard from Greece and OUR EVZONES for the FISRT time in Philadelphia.
