An event was held in honor of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis by Greek-American organizations in Astoria. The Prime Minister introduced the new Consul General of Greece in New York, Ifigenia Kanara, wishing her every success in her role.
By Fotis Kaliampakos – Special to the Hellenic News of America
Despite a demanding schedule filled with meetings and speeches during the United Nations General Assembly, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis found time to connect with the Greek diaspora at an event organized in his honor at the well-known restaurant “Anassa” in Astoria. He arrived immediately after his meeting at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, accompanied by his personal security detail and the U.S. Secret Service, which is responsible for the safety of foreign leaders and American presidents.
Mitsotakis received a warm welcome, greeted with applause by attendees. Outside “Anassa,” he was welcomed by Aikaterini Nassika, the Ambassador of Greece to Washington, and Mike Manatos on behalf of the event’s organizers. The Prime Minister personally greeted representatives from various Greek-American organizations, including Savvas Tsivikos, Supreme President of AHEPA; Andy Zemenidis from HALC; Philip Christopher and Anastasios Zambas from PSEKA; Nikos Larigakis, president of AHI; Panos Stavrianidis from the New Jersey Federation; Dr. Antonios Gasparis, president of the Hellenic Medical Society of New York; George Zapantis, president of the Hellenic American Lawyers Association; and Paul Kotrotsios, chairman of the Hellenic News of America. Kotrotsios represented the Hellenic American National Council (HANC) and AHEPA Chapter #26 in Philadelphia, where he is the current president. Other co-organizers included the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce (HACC), represented by its executive director, Alexandra Spyrou-Mitsaki, along with past presidents and representatives from Flagstar Bank, Alma Bank, and NHS Archons.
Following this, Mitsotakis greeted His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, who offered the customary prayer, alongside His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey.
Mike Manatos welcomed the Prime Minister and acknowledged the organizations involved in organizing the event, inviting Drake Behrakis to introduce him. Behrakis spoke about various policies of the Greek government, particularly highlighting the ongoing improvement of Greek-American relations, culminating in Mitsotakis’s address before Congress. Notably, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou, a well-known figure in the diaspora, was also in attendance.
The Greek Prime Minister, cheerful and smiling, took the floor, thanking the organizers and attendees. He remarked that he could not imagine visiting New York without connecting with this dynamic segment of Hellenism, praising the diaspora’s contributions. He honored three distinguished individuals in American society with the Commander’s Cross of the Order of the Phoenix, one of the highest distinctions awarded by the Hellenic Republic. The recipients were Kelly Vlachakis-Hanks, CEO of ECOS; Sylvia Mathios-Bergwell from American University; and Andreas “Andy” Manatos, a long-time advocate for Greek interests in Washington and founder of the OXI Foundation. The Prime Minister presented the awards and took photos with the honorees, including a warm handshake with Cleopatra, the mother of Ms. Mathios.
Despite the celebratory atmosphere, Mitsotakis addressed a range of political issues, emphasizing the strong Greek-American relations and the diaspora’s significant role in their continuous improvement. He reassured the audience that this deep relationship would remain unaffected by the outcomes of the upcoming American elections. Additionally, he expressed the government’s desire to de-escalate tensions with neighboring Turkey, stressing that Greece serves as a pillar of stability in a sensitive region amid global crises. He also mentioned the recent introduction of mail-in voting in European elections, expressing hope that this process would be adopted for National Elections as well.
At the conclusion of his speech, Kyriakos Mitsotakis praised and introduced the newly arrived Consul General of Greece in New York, Ifigenia Kanara, wishing her success and highlighting the government’s ongoing goal to improve the services provided by the Consulate to the diaspora.
After his speech, the Greek Prime Minister took advantage of the brief time before his next obligation to engage with members of the diaspora and take photos with them.
