NEO magazine - December 2022

Greece and Cyprus: the success story of the Eastern Mediterranean,

says

ENDY ZEMENIDES

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FROM

A Happy New Year

It was heartening to hear from Endy Zemenides in our cover story that Greece and Cyprus not only survived their crises but are doing better than ever and there has been a “ sea change” in how Greece does its politics and economicbusiness.

Germany may have thought it was punishing Greece by imposing punitive measures during the IMF bailout, and it did punish it, and ordinary people suffered—and suffered even more when COVID hit the world And yet, says Zemenides,theproverbial resilience of the Greek people not only saw them through, as it has for centuries, but it actually saw them benefit. According to his report, Greece has the fastest rate of growth in the EU,andCyprushasbecomeamajorplayerin its region: Greece is more stable, both politically and economically, and Cyprus has found allies in some of the prime players in theregion,likeIsrael

And Greek American efforts to help the region have become more smart: instead of highlighting the negative, they are promotingthepositive

“It used to be known that the Hellenic advocacy agenda was always kind of against something,” says Zemenides “Against Turkey's division of Cyprus, against Turkey, against what Scopia was doing: we were always defined in opposition to something. Now, we still have the same positions on the

occupation of Cyprus, of the Aegean, but now we are able to flip the definition as a positive agenda, as a proactive agenda Greece and Cyprus are at the center, the East Med revolves around the Hellenic states and Israel, and we are building on that partnership.”

He said that not even America can stand alone, and the crises that both Greece and Cyprus faced roused the diplomatic and political skills that both countries had relied on over the eons for their survival, and a new sense of pragmatism and reality, and have made them strategic players in the region, which has become even more critical with theRussianinvasionoftheUkraine.

And the COVID crisis that Greece weathered with such resourcefulness also has a local Greek hero: Pfizer CEO Albert Bourlas, who comes from Thessaloniki, summers there, went to school at Aristotle University, and worked as a local veterinarian before joining Pfizer While getting Pfizer to invest in Greece now, Bourlas has been honored by Aristotle Universityforhiscontributiontoscienceand as a colleague said of him: “I praise our own Akis, our peer, our compatriot, the Salonika dude, the child that used to play like all downtownchildrenatNavarinouSquare”

Have a happy holiday and let’s enjoy the positive news in the New Year that Greece andG eks doin bett tha ver

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Editor in Chief: Dimitri C Michalakis info@neomagazinecom

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DIMITRI C. MICHALAKIS

A few weeks ago, my wife Orsa and I had the opportunity to pay a visit to the St. Nicholas National Shrine at the WTC. The great majority of my countless past visits, have always been associated with my capacity as a member of the Design Team, to resolve issues or inspect the progress of construction, etc. In this most recent visit however, in addition to the “Technical Eye” of t h e S t r u c t u r a l Enginner which is always present, another just as imp or t ant purpose was one of p i l g r i m a g e a n d appre c i at i on of a finished edifice, as well as of spiritual in nature. A c h a n c e f o r introspection!

St ar t i ng w it h t he “privileged” location of the church itself, which location by the way, yours truly had a great deal to do with its initial identification and eventual adoption on structural grounds, as it seats on top of the hill of the new Liberty park, it has a commanding view of the entire WTC site including the 9/11 Memorial, and inversely is itself readily visible from all of its surroundingsaswell.

It’s white Pentelic marble which clads the Church’s exterior walls and its dome, is one of its important design characteristics, along of course with its unique architecture, which according to its creator, world-renowned Architect Santiago Calatrava was derived from several religious Byzantine monuments

A VISIT TO ST. NICHOLAS NATIONAL SHRINE AT THE WTC

by Emmanuel E. Velivasakis

of Constantinople, including that of Haghia Sophia, Hagia Eirini and the holy icon of the Mother of God itself. Incidentally, all the marble used in St. Nicholas has been extracted from the very same quarries that the Parthenon marble had been obtained from by itsbuilders.

I n h i s p r e v i o u s a r c h i t e c t u r a l c o m m i s s i o n s , Calatrava used his k n o w l e d g e o f engineering to create innovative, sculptural architectural designs, often in concrete and steel No surprise that t h e S t . N i c h o l a s architectural concept also follows a much similar pattern, by combining familiar geometric shapes, such as accordion-style f o l d e d w a l l s a n d similarly configured domed roof, which b l e n d g r a c i o u s l y together and in their totality give the design its uniqueness and elegance and yet somewhat gently minimalisticlook.

The vertical marble-clad glass façade wallassemblies follow a distinctive accordionfolded pattern and have a gently convex or circular outline The accordion wall assemblies meet at their tops with a similarly shaped marble-clad dome, which by its sheer size appears to dominate the architecture and give it its rather generic Byzantine qualitative appearance

A total of four solid-looking, marble-clad “towers” sit at each the corresponding “corners” of the church, somewhat resembling the massive masonry buttresses of Hagia Sophia, which in that case assist in resisting the outward thrust of its own dome, while in our case their interiors provide spaces for secondaryuses.

An additional principal feature of the architectural dome that sits on top of the church, with its 40 ribs, and skylights, was derived from themagnificent andgranddome of Haghia Sophia and its 40 windows around its base! One major difference of course being, that the Haghia Sophia dome consists of brick embedded into a special pozzolanic mortar, whereas St. Nicholas’ dome consists of 40 slender, high-strength steel ribs, connected together by a strong tension ring along the base and a counteracting compression ring at the top On top of the compression ring, sits the characteristic Byzantine Cross which is of course visible from afar, proudly radiating Orthodoxy to the monument visitors and passerbysalike.

Incidentally, a unique feature of this edifice is that its marble cladding is semi-translucent to light, and as such, at night, it’s illuminated from the interior, and thus shines as a true beacon up on the Liberty Hill! One can imagine thus, the technical challenges which had to be overcome to achieve the marble translucency, while at the same time satisfying extraordinary design loadings largely due to the monument’s security considerations, and the complexities in its fabrication and installation.

Walking through the front doors, the visitor enters a relatively small narthex, and then is immediately confronted by the magnificence of the spacious and tall main nave and it’s distinctive and rather eclectic iconography thatsurroundsit.

Emmanuel and Orsa Velivasakis

Front and center of course is the rather austere and minimalist iconostasis, with its stunning principal icons, and directly behind the altar, yet another magnificent and unique mural of the “Platytera of Manhattan”, surrounded by a 3-piece extraordinary mural of the “Ascension of the Lord” Other as eclectic wall-murals include that of St. Nicholas, specifically adopted to the New York scenery once again, and many others from the life and miracles of St. Nicholas and not only, expertly executed by master iconographer Fr Loukas of XenophontosMonastery.

Let me just summarize by stating that the iconography and the interior marble finishes are simply stunning and eclectic, pleasing to the eye, and not overwhelming. The overall edifice is truly magnificent As our wise forefathers once opined: «οὐκ ἐν τῷ πολλῷ τὸ εὖ,ἀλλ᾿ἐντῷεὖτὸπολύ»andthisholyedifice truly satisfies both the essence and words of theaboveancientsaying.

In order therefore are sincere kudos and congratulations firstly to my illustrious colleague Master Architect Santiago Calatrava and his Design Team for conceiving and executing such an extraordinary architectural concept, and of course to all those involved with this truly magnificent “Monument” from conception, to fundraising, to execution and the to completion of the little “White Jewel” high up on the Liberty Hill, as it will stand as testamenttothesuccessesandtriumphsofour own Omogeneia in this great country, which many of us, and/or our parents and grandparents chose to make home, and no doubt signifies that we, Greek-Americans have finally claimed our rightful place in the beautifulandvibrantmosaicofAmericana!

While standing in the middle of the church, surrounded by the magnificence of the holy space, the splendid iconography, and the contrasting but austere marble finishes and accessories, I found myself practically mesmerized by the holiness and beauty of the

edifice, thinking of all the struggles and the battles fought and won against the many bureaucrats and other enemies of the church overthepast20+years!

Then, in a flash, I recalled the scene of the first battle that I was called upon to confront, during the recovery operations at Ground Zero, when my team and I had to intervene and stop the cranes and bulldozers from further desecrating the remains of the old St. Nicholas church, which had been buried under the tons of debris of the collapsed structures. Upon our insistence, the recovery continued a few days later, only after we were assured that the remains of the old church would be excavated via an archeological style excavation by hand! And besides the tremendous weight of the debris that had crashed the small wooden and masonry church, and the fires that followed, the excavation team managed to retrieve a few precious artifacts, miraculously including a bunch of “untouched” wax candles and partiallydamagedicons,which,Iwould liketo think will serve as the catalyst to continuity from the old to the new And there were many many more battles to follow, both of technical, legal aswellaspolitical natureovertheyearsto follow

Flashed through my memory were also the titanic battles with the technocrats and bureaucracy of the “Port of Authority”, who for years made our lives miserable with their refusal and excuses to allow the Church to be rebuilt, that delayed the project by more than 10 years! And when their technical and structural engineering incompetence was exposed by my, as well as a third party engineers, and consecutively made known to the office of the then NY state Governor Andrew Cuomo, they stood embarrassed like a “naked king”, and were forced to “swallow their pride” and finally allow us to place the footprint of the church at the most secure and privilegedlocationitproudlystandstoday.

In my silent prayer, I also had the opportunity to remember the late Proistamenos of the old Church, Fr. John Romas, who worked tiressly to keep the “dream alive” during the long years since the destruction, and who would always and without exception, stop me and ask, “Manoli, how are we doing with the new St Nicholas design?” And the good father passed on a few years ago, and never had the good fortune to see his finished church and fulfil his long dream of celebrating liturgyonitsAltar.

Additionally, I offered a silent prayer both to all those i n n o c e nt v i c t i m s w h o perished during the terrorist attacks, as well as to the thousands of my fellow engineers, contractors, medical personnel and

emergenc y responder heroes, who participated in the rescue and recovery operations for months afterwards, and many of whom are now suffering from various dreaded diseases and no doubt, some may be climbingtheirownGolgothatoday

As for me, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have been involved with this unique, but gigantic undertaking since it’s inception,anditissomethingthatIwillalways cherishandkeepinaveryspecial placedeepin my heart and mind, as it represents the capstone of my 45 year career in the building designarenabothinUSandworldwide.

As a closing thought, much has been said and criticisms expressed by someabout Calatrava’s so called “unorthodox” design and the extraordinary sum of money it took to achieve However, the inescapable truth is that almost every iconic architect has his share of naysayers and no one has managed to steer clear of criticism. Criticism is part and parcel of any architectural project. It does not detract from the architect’s obvious genius as it appears that there is no creativity, without criticism.

My reply to this criticism is twofold: First, as the Greek saying goes, «Όσοι είναι απέξω απ´το χορό, πολλά τραγούδια ξέρουν», and second: Had we built a beautiful traditional redbrickchurchinstead,andatevenperhapsa fraction of the cost, in my humble opinion we would not have achieved the magnificence and the architectural and monumental importance required of an edifice such as the one we have currently placed on top of the Liberty Hill, to proudly identify and represent us, the Greek-American Omogenia at large, going forward within the vibrant and most beautifulAmericanmosaic.

Lastly, a full disclosure, that the thoughts expressed here represent personal opinions of the writer, and no one else! In addition, I want to let it be known, that the writer and his firm, were significantly involved with the Calatrava Design Team as it’s Structural Engineer, and as such, may offer somewhat inherently subjective opinions by default, but it’s never myintentiontomisleadanyonehowever

Ionian University Establishes Office in NY

Hopkins and George Mason Universities, but also recently w it h Texas / Health Science C e n t e r - a collaboration resulting from the discussions held within the framework of t h e P h a r o s Summit 2022 i n i t i a t i v e organized by the M i n i s t r y o f

The Ionian University office in New York will be housed in a space allocated for this purpose by the historic Greek Orthodox Church of Agios Spyridon at 124 Wadsworth Avenue, New York, NY 10033, with the simultaneous support of members of the Greek diaspora, thus ensuring and the necessary personnel for its organization and operation, without financialburdenfortheUniversity.

A new dynamic perspective of academic development is created for Ionian University byestablishingitsofficeinthecityofNewYork. This development is a natural continuation of the intense activity that the Ionian University has demonstrated during the last two years in the field of cultivating international research collaborations with university institutions in the United States of America, such as Johns

EducationandReligiousAffairs.

With the establishment of the new office in NewYork,anacademicandadministrativehub of the Ionian University is created for the first time outside of Greece, which will contribute to the strengthening of existing partnerships, but also to the cultivation of new ones, both at theresearchandeducationallevel

In his statement regarding the establishment of the new office, the Rector of the Ionian University, Professor Andreas Floros, stated that "the opening of our founding office in the city of New York is a significant initiative, a milestone in the history of the Ionian University Our Institution is once again leading the way by creating an administrative structure in the United States of America that will operationally support all existing and future synergies with American academic institutions.".

The opening of the new office of the Ionian University in New York is scheduled to take placewithinthefirstquarterof2023.

Children’s Books by Contemporary Greek Authors

Welcome back! This time let’s talk Children’s Books! There are a multitude of contemporary Greek authors writing picture books, and many have Greek themes. Some are even bilingual. There are so many talented authors, I could fill several pages. Let’s meet some with more recentreleases.

PanagiotaAndreadakis

After decades in the health industry, Panagiota swicthed gears to follow her passion for her sharing Hellenic heritage and Orthodox Faith. She’s penned two Greek/English bilingual books that help kids learn about Greek traditions and customs. The ABC of the Twelve Days of ChristmasandTheABCofGreekEaster.

ElisavetArkolaki

This multilingual and multi-published author runs a parenting blog, is a translator, and has been a foreign language teacher Elisavet’s bilingual books have been published in 50 languages, including English and Greek. She’s also written books on raising multicultural children. Among her most p o p u l a r i s H a p p i n e s s S t r e e t (independently published, 2020), in which a young girl reflects on summer memorieswithhergrandmother

EleniElefterias

The multi-published author and musician also teaches Modern Greek She’s the force behind the Bilingual Bookshop in NSW, Australia Among Eleni’s most popular bilingual GreekEnglish books are When Can You Play With Me? (2022) and My Grandma is a Musician (2020). They’re both published byGrammatikaPty.Ltd.

EleniFuiaxis

This actress/model turned entrepreneur and author pens stories that teach lessons about gratitude, self-reflection, problemsolving, empathy, kindness, and inclusivity. Picky Patrick (Mascot Kids, 2022) is the first book in the ‘Kids We LoveCollection’.

MariaKamoulakou-Marangoudakis

An archaeologist by trade, Maria began writing in 2013. Her first book, the award-winning Sky Cloud City: The Adventures of Hope & Trusty (2016), was inspired by ‘The Birds’ by Aristophanes. Arthur the Fly-Slayer & the Forty Dragons (Little Centaur Press, 2018) is inspired by a Laconian tale. It’s also been translated into French Recently, she published an updated version of Sky Cloud City (Little Centaur Press, 2021). Since 2020, she’s written a series of short stories for KPHTH magazine, in which siblings Minos Zoiros and Ariadne Lalaoussa introduce kids to Cretan culture,history,andarchaeology

EllenKaris

You may know her as the Greek Goddess of Comedy, but she’s also a Sunday School teacher and the author of Special People: Godparents in the Orthodox Christian Faith (Bowker Identifier Services, 2020). Ellen created this resource to help teach kids about the special relationship betweenaGodparentandGodchild

NickKatsoris

A New York attorney “by day”, Nick is the author of the ‘Loukoumi’ book series and founder of the Loukoumi Make a Difference Foundation. Inspired by the birth of his son, he wrote the first Loukoumi book in 2003. There are now eight books in the award-winning series. Many celebrities have lent their voices to his stories, including Loukoumi’s Good Deeds (independently published, 2009) narratedbyJohnandJenniferAniston.

BriannaKoucosMidgley

The ‘Yiayia’s Kitchen’ book series (independently published) was inspired by Brianna’s cher ishe d childhood memories. In the series, Y i a y i a t e a c h e s K o u k l a about her G r e e k h e r i t a g e ,

family traditions, and how to prepare a Greek recipe Something happens, leading to a teachable moment. Currently, there are three books in the series: Honesty (2019), Patience (2020), andFamilyTraditions(2021).

PenelopeLagos

A model, actress, avid animal activist, her first book, I Miss My Best Friend (GreenTree, 2017), about losing a pet. It’s a recipient of the Reader’s Favorite 5-Star Award Penelope’ssecondbook,Different is Beautiful (Who Chains You Books, 2020), is about accepting yourself and othersnomatterhowyoulook.

JoannaLoupakos

Kanella and Sunny (independently published, 2021) is about Joanna’s grandmother and her pet canary The immigration story follows Kanella as she pursues her American dream, with her trusty feathered friend at her side It’s a story about following your dreams and nevergivingup

AnnaProkos

The ‘Lucky Book’ series (A-to-Z Publishing) teaches kids about Greek customs and history Her first book, The Lucky Cake (2011), is about the Vasilopita tradition. Learn about Pascha traditions in The Lucky Egg (2013). The Lucky Day (2021) is about Greek Independence Day and the Greek Revolution. OXI Day takes the spotlight inTheLuckyWord(2021).

AgathaRodi

T h i s mu lt ip u b l i s h e d author, poet, and publisher h a s b e e n a f o r e i g n l a n g u a g e educator for the past twenty years. Amelie Goes to Grandma’s (independently published, 2021) is among Agatha’s most popular Her books have been translated into English and French, and her latest, A Young Kimolistas (Weaving Waves, 2022), will also be translated into Japanese

AngelikiStamatopoulou-Pederson

The mother of a son with hearing loss, Angeliki penned The Secrets Hidden Beneath the Palm Tree (AuthorHouse, 2019). It introduces kids to the sensitive world of children with cochlear implants. It modelsways to approach, befriend, and include these children in school activities.It’sbeentranslatedintoGreek.

DemetraTsavarisLecourezos

An entrepreneur, film producer, and co-director, she’stheauthorof seven books. The first in Demetra’s ‘Young World Traveler’ edutainment series that takes kids on virtual travels, was published by thewordverve in 2014. Ready, Set, Opa! (2017) transports readers to Greece It’s also available in Greek She also penned Letters from Around the World: Learning the Greek Alphabet (2017) and Cancer in My

Family (2020), co-authored by her daughter, Katerina Lecourezos. The fourth ‘Young World Traveler’ book, also co-authored with Katerina, is called A GlobeWithinaGlobe(2022).

StephanieTimotheou

A Greek-Cypriot journalist, Stephanie penned the “Ikoyenia” series, five bilingual Greek-English rhyming tales that follow a young girl named Anthea and the relationships she shares with her loved ones. There’s Cooking with Yiayia, Gardening with Papou, Playtime with Baba, Bedtime with Mama, and Christmas with My Family. She’s also the author of two My Greek Guide books: NumbersandTheAlphabet.

KonstantinaG.Tsioutsiopoulos

It’s Not a Skirt (independently published, 2021) is this author’s debut. She channeled her love of Greek dance and customs into a cute story about a boy who has to wear a foustanella for a dance performance and is worried what other kids will think. The story teaches kids to be proud of where they come from and to celebratetheirculturaltraditions.

VioletFavero

This author and illustrator also owns Yiayia’s Market, where she sells authentic items from Greece Violet is the grandmother of nine! Her first books, Silly Yiayia (CreateSpace, 2015) and Sunday Dinner at Silly Yaya’s (Create Space,2016)areamonghermostpopular. Pete Comes to America (Meadow Road, 2019) is based on her grandfather’s immigrationstory

Well, that will get you started! See you next timeformoreofMnemosyni’sMusings.

Maria A. Karamitsos has been a positive voice in Greek media since 2002. She's the founder & former publisher/editor of Windy City Greek magazine. For 10 years, she served as associate editor & senior writer for The Greek Star newspaper. Her work has been published in NEO magazine, Greek Circle magazine, The National Herald, Greek Reporter, Harlots Sauce Radio, Women Who Write, KPHTH magazine, XPAT Athens, and more. Maria has contributed to three books: Greektown Chicago: Its History, Its Recipes; The Chicago Area Ethnic Handbook; and the inaugural essay collection, Voices of Hellenism Literary Journal. She recently completed her 1st novel, called FindingEleftheria.

Greece and Cyprus: the success story of the Eastern Mediterranean,

says

ENDY ZEMENIDES

by Dimitri C. Michalakis

E n d y Z e m e n i d e s i s a l w a y s enthusiastic but he’s particularly enthusiasticnowbecauseoftheprogresshe sees both Greece and Cyprus have made in weathering their crises and only emerging stronger. “If somebody told you in 2015 that Greece was gonna be leading the Euro zone in growth, after a second economic crisis, and after coronavirus hit in 2020you would have been laughed at,” says Zemenides, the executive director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), a “think-and-do tank,” as he calls it,basedinChicagoandWashingtonDC.

And even as a Cypriot refugee himself (he was a kid when he had to flee the island), he sees the island’s growing stature with hope “Cyprus is playing a role in the European Union,” he says. “Cyprus is playing a role in the Trilaterals that Greece has with Israel, Egypt, Jordan. Cyprus is a founding member of the East Med Gas Forum. I've always said to American officials, work on the bilateral relationship with Cyprus, and good things can comefrom there If Turkey

knows Cyprus is going to keep moving ahead while it's being left behind, they're going to be more incentivized to make a deal”

A longtime Chicagoan, Endy (Auxentios) Zemenidespracticed law in thecity, but got interested in politics early and became a senior advisor to Illinois State Treasurer and U.S. senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias. And with a background in international law and politics (he studied human rights at theUniversity of Essex and got a doctorate from Georgetown U Law School and was a fellow of its Harrison Policy Institute), he was a natural fit to lead the HALC when it was founded in 2012 by cosmetics tycoon, the late Nikos Mouyiaris. “Who may have been the greatest of all Greek Americans,” Zemenides says, with justifiable devotion. “Niko really invested in another generation. He wanted Hellenism to thrive, to advance, to be dynamic. He didn't want us to get to a point where we just remember we were Greek because our papou was Greek. And he put his money behind it. We fight hard because we knew he put his trust inus.Thiswashisvision.”

What is the relationship of America and Greecerightnow?AndhowisGreecedoing?

Because of the relationship between Greece and its diaspora, there were the foundations for a bounce back Now, I think the real bounce back happened because Europe screwed up Europe: that Germany especially wanted to drown Greece during the crisis, and America did not. And I don't think it was as much some charity, as if you guys drown Greece that's gonna be a geopolitical disaster I think America realized more the importance ofGreecethanitsEuropeanalliesdid.

AndtheGreekgovernmentresponded?

I think Greece, and this is to the credit of the SYRIZA (center left) government, responded in kind Now, they may have been forced to, cause they had no other option. Remember, they came in vowing to change Europe, and if anybody had predicted in 2015 that the SYRIZA government was going to become pro-American and pro-European and proIsrael,we’dprobablyalllaughoutloud

Whydidthey?

Because they realized the difference between governing and campaigning. I think just like Liz Truss, more responsible members of the government saw that Varoufakis’ economic prescriptions were right, but his prescriptions were suicidal. And the government realized once in power that they had to take care of the 10 million people in Greece. And they were looking for allies. Greece is not big enough to be on its own. America's not big enough to be on its own. So Greece was certainly not big enough to be on its own. And the government then made the decision that for the safety of Greece, the geopolitical safety for the economic future, for the survival of the Greek state,theyhadtomakeallies.

Soitwasarealitycheck?

Yeah, I think part of it was an appreciation that the Americans were somewhat of a bulwark to Germany's punishment. I think at some point it was clear that (German finance minister) Wolfgang Schauble just wanted to punish Greece to make an example of it. Whereas (US Treasury secretary) Jack Lew did not have that mentality. The Congress did not have that mentality Joe Biden, Barack Obama, none of them had that mentality, whereas the European finance ministers did. So I think part of it was an appreciation of that. And part of it was, okay, what can we do? Can these guys help usavoid someof theworstmeasures from the IMF, can these guys help us attract additional investment. Can these guys keep us safe?

How did Greek Americans and the Greek lobbyhelp?

Listen, I remember, because I was there, this famous White House meeting in the summer of 2015, where you had the chief of staff of the

White House, the national security advisor, the vice President of the United States. Biden spent two hours with us. Not that that meeting produced any single idea, but when you have the entire U.S. government, the top level of the government, being focused on a problem, because they know they have to answer to people who know they have a relationship with,you'regoingtogetbetterresults.

Whatwastheresult?

Remember how many countries had an economic crisis that year No other country but Greece got a summit in Congress. And nothing specific came out of that Congress, but it motivated a lot of members of Congress to find something later on. So, yes, I think the influence of the Greek community, and really the good reputation, not only the influence of the lobby, but the good reputation of the community,resultedinpeoplesteppingup

So what is the state of Greece right now? Has itrecoveredfromtheeconomiccrisis?

Well, you know, there's a slogan: Greece is back. And some people think it's a slogan, but if somebody told you in the summer of 2015 that Greece would be out of out of the IMF memorandum, you would say no way. If somebody told you in 2015 that Greece was gonna be leading the Euro zone in growth, after a second economic crisis--let's remember it got out of the adjustment in 2019, and then in 2020 Corona hit--that Greece would be leading the Euro's own in growth, youwouldhavelaughedoutloud

HowdidGreecedoit?

One, I think the Greek society as a whole proved its resilience For better or worse, there wasnoabilityforsomebodytocomeinandtry a short-term solution. So whether discipline was forced upon them, or whether they chose

discipline, Greek society became more disciplined.

The Greek people and the Greek state had a client relationship. That stopped with the IMF memorandum. There is no more, I’m voting for the state so I get a job promised to me, anymore The extreme shrinking of the public sector,andthefactthatalotofthiswascoming through Europe, that client relationship that the Greek voters had with Greek parties disappearedalmostovernight.

That’sprettyrevolutionary.

Now you can sit here and say, well, there are still companies, there are certain rich groups, who benefit more from Nea Demokratia (center right, now in government), or benefit more if SYRIZA is in power. Yeah, but it's not societywide, as it once was. People were literally voting because, I got you your job, or I took care of your perousia, or so forth and so on. Well, that's not the case anymore.

So how do Greek politicians get electednow?

Well, a lot of the same as before L o o k a t o u r economic growth L o o k a t t h e investments we attracted And it’s

tangible progress. In 2015, we thought it was a big deal of if we found a rich Greek American to open up a small bed and breakfast in Greece. That's not inconsequential, but compare that to what we've seen the last four years. Pfizer, Microsoft, JP Morgan, movie studios all investing in Greece. The biggest investments in the region, and southeast Europe, the biggest American investments in SoutheastEurope,areallinGreece

Because?

Well, one, because Greece proved itself stable Stable enough. Greece showed enough political stability and economic stability that it was worth the investment. Two, the region around Greece where some of the other investments were going, for example, Turkey, that was not a good bet anymore, for many reasons. Most of all, rule of law The more Turkey slid towards authoritarianism, the less ofagoodbetitwasforWesterncompanies.

Andoneinvestmentcreatesmore...

And once a Pfizer comes in, it becomes easier for a Microsoft. When Pfizer and Microsoft come in, it’s easier for JP Morgan. And the process becomes streamlined and more efficient. How to get approvals faster, how to do more incentives, how to do taxes, to structure taxes better, how to get a better workforce, how to build infrastructure, how to privatize the right things. So there's been a sea changeinGreece.

What about Cyprus? What is the state of Cyprus?Anyprogress?

Listen, I think a lot of progress. People will disagree with me, but I'll tell you why I think a lot of progress. Cyprus is no longer going to be held hostage by Turkey. There is not progress towards reunifying Cyprus But I always thought that the lack of progress is because Turkey was able to say, Cyprus won't get into, for example, the EU unless it makes us happy

How do you change something baked into thesystemforgenerations?

Zemenides with Senator Bob Menendez in Chicago (November 2022)

Zemenides receiving the Insignia of the Commander of the Order of the Phoenix from Prime Minister Mitsotakis (May 2022)

Cyprus won't get into NATO Cyprus won't be partofalargerregion.

Now that the Eastern Mediterranean is becoming a world again, Cyprus is becoming moreimportant.Cyprusisplayingaroleinthe European Union. Cyprus is playing a role in the Trilaterals with Greece: with Greece and Israel,withGreeceandEgypt,withGreeceand Jordan. Cyprus is a founding member of the East Med Gas Forum. And as I've always said to American officials, work on the bilateral relationship with Cyprus, and good things can come from there. If Turkey knows Cyprus is going to keep moving ahead while it's being left behind, they're going to be more incentivizedtomakeadeal

ThePutinsyndrome?

And this is something that, unfortunately, I think the United States and Europe were a little complicit in promoting for years We kept feeding Erdogan the ideathatTurkeyisthemost important country in the region. And it fed his ambitions and grievances t h a t t h e We s t w a s interfering in its affairs and r i g h t f u l c l a i m s t o sovereignty. You see how Turkey treats the Aegean a n d E a s t e r n Mediterranean, that it rightfully belongs to Turkey Turkey sees itself as a global power: Erdogan came to the UN and said there should be more than five members in the Security Council and Turkey shouldbeoneofthem.

AndGreeceisanobstacle?

He sees Greece not only as an obstacle, but as part of a conspiracy against him. He doesn't see Greece as a world power that he's fighting against. He sees America asa worldpower that he's fighting against. And Greece is one of the tools, one of the tools that America uses. And Erdogan resents it: this year the amount of violations to Greek air space was record breaking Erdogan’s air force violated Greek airspace 42 times in a single day Inasingleday!

Whytheescalation?

What is the state of the relationship with GreeceandTurkeyrightnow?

To say it's difficult isan understatement. I have to say that there's more danger now than we've probably ever lived through First of all, because of Erdogan. This guy has an ambition. Some people call it “neottomanism” There is noquestionwithTurkey’scentennial nextyear he wants to be known in a hundred years as moreconsequential thanevenAtaturk.

What set off Erdogan is the fact that the U.S. at the end of last year signed a new m u t u a l d e f e n s e a n d cooperation agreement with Greece, invested in the security relationship with Greece, and basically said, you know what, our major base in the region is gonna be Alexandroupolis. What was one of the first things that Turkey did in the Ukraineinvasion:theyclosedtheDardanelles. But not only to Russia. To both sides. So you could say, well, it prevented Russia from doing stuff. Yeah. But theoretically it also prevented us from arming Ukraine But now Americans can land ships and land weapons at Alexandroupolis, and truck them through Bulgaria, Rumania, and into Southern Ukraine.

Turkey’sprimacyfeelsthreatened?

Greece’s very existence, complicates Turkey's ability to exercise prime power. Turkey says, I'm the biggest player in the region. That's true They're the biggest economy, the biggest population. But that's only if you are one

country with one country. When you start looking at the alliances and the partnerships being built in Eastern Mediterranean, and you think of Greece plus Cyprus, plus Israel, plus Egypt,thosefourcountrieshavebeenworking very closely together Now all of a sudden you have more population in Turkey, you have a bigger military in Turkey, you have a bigger economy in Turkey, but not if you match it up against an alliance of these four other countries.

The greatest level of a cooperation is now happening without Turkey at the table You have the East Med Gas Forum. Guess who's not a member of the East Med Gas forum Turkey. You have the Abraham Accords happening. Guess who's not a member? Turkey You have new defense agreements within NATO. The MDCA with U.S. and Greece Guess who's not part of that? Turkey You have the expansion of the EU in the western Balkans. Guess who's not part of that? Turkey So Erdogan overplayed his hand He had a very good hand and he played it very badly.Andnowhe'sreacting.

YousaidyourparentscamefromCyprus?

My father was from Cyprus. My mom was from Filiatra, right near Kalamata. My father who passed was Dimitri My mom, who is still alive, is Irene My parents came to Chicago andboth went to theSchool of Architecture, at the University of Illinois. They met, they got

married, I was born in Chicago, February of ‘73, in July of ‘73 we moved to Cyprus, in July of ‘74 the invasion happened. So me and my mom, who was pregnant with my brother, were

AndyouwereraisedinChicago?

I was raised in Chicago I went to DePaul University. I did six-month foreign study in Greece, in Athens. A singular life-influencing moment.

evacuated with other American citizens. We were expelled from our home and evacuated My dad, even though he was an American citizen, stayed and fought. And we werereunitedinDecemberof‘74inChicago.

Zemenides interviewing Senator Chris Van Hollen at the “Southeast Europe and Eastern Mediterranean Forum” hosted by Kathimerini, HALC and the Delphi Economic Forum (March 2022)

Zemenides addressing the Philos Project’s “Abraham’s Missing Child Initiative” in Greece (October 2022)

Kathimerini’s Tom Ellis interviewing American Jewish Committee CEO, former Congressman Ted Deutch, and Endy Zemenides at the “Hellas and the Diaspora: The Future” dinner (December 2022)

I did a master's at theUniversity of Essex in the United Kingdom, in international human rights. I came back to the States after completing my master’s, I worked at a think tank calledtheNational StrategyForum.Then I went to Georgetown Law School. And then I came back and practiced law in Chicago and dabbledinpolitics.Andthenatsomepointthe politicstookover.

TellmeabouttheHALC:Isitathinktank?Is italobbyinggroup?

I think it's a public advocacy and education institute organization. But since you used the word think tank, it's actually a think-and-do tank. First of all, to deal with a lot of the challenges that our community faces, the Hellenic world faces, we face as American citizens, you gotta be part of the discussion leaders are having. You can’t win just one lobbying effort: you have to really affect conventional wisdom: we wanted people to start talking about theEastern Mediterranean. Years ago, nobody talked about the Eastern Mediterranean But you know what? Everybody's talking about the Eastern Mediterranean now The State Department now has an Eastern Mediterranean strategy Think tanks have Eastern Mediterranean studies There are laws that have Eastern Mediterranean in the title: the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, or the East Med One, and the US Greece Defense Interparliamentary Partnership Act, which is actually known as East Med Two We work at the think tank level with think tankers, not only politicians, with think tankers, policy leaders, journalists, academics, to create this conceptual framework by which a lot of our lobbying madesense Sothat'showweputthethink and thedotogether.

And your approach haschanged?

C o n g r e s s m a n Sarbanes actually talked about that shift. It used to be known t hat t he Hellenic advocacy agenda was a l w a y s a g a i n s t something. Against Turkey's division of C y p r u s , a g a i n s t Turkey, against what Scoje was doing: we were always defined in o p p o s i t i o n t o something Now, we still have the same p o s i t i o n s o n t h e occupation of Cyprus, of the Aegean, but now we are able to flip the definition as a positive agenda, as a proactive agenda Greece and Cyprus are at the center The East Med revolves around the Hellenic states and Israel, let's say, that partnership, and we ’ re going to build off of that. Those two acts I referred you to, and the policies that I referred you to, are basedaroundGreece,CyprusandIsrael

AndHALCeffortsclosertohome?

We're always talking about how can we connect the next generation of Greek Americans closer to Greece And our answer was, let's get more people to do foreign study. Let's get younger people to have this lifef o r m i n g experience, not just for a summer, let t he m l e ar n that Greece is notjustparalia andhorio

How do you dothat?

Well, one of the things that we're doing is w e h a v e started a pilot program with o n e o f t h e e x c e l l e n t foreign study institutions, for a college year in Athens. So people can get introduced to those programs via online education. There's a lot of scholarship funds for Greek Americans. So we'renotgoingtocreateourownscholarships. But we're gonna work to raise money to send kids, specifically for foreign study It costs another $5,000 or $10,000 for you to do six monthsinGreece?We'regonnaprovidethat.

Where is the HALC based and who is involved?

Chicago and Washington. We have five fulltime employees and thousands of paid members. We have people on our list from all 50 states and 10-15 countries. We have people who have served in government and gone back in government At one point the chairman of our organization was Alexi Giannoulias, and he got elected Illinois Secretary of State While he was chairman, the vice chairman was George Tunis, who is now the ambassador to Greece. The present chairman of the board is Dr George Chiampis, who's the medical director of US soccer We have a board of people who care about their Greek identity They care about Greece, they care about America, they care about the bilateral relationship, and they care about issues that ten years ago people told me the next generation was not going to care about.

Where do you see the organization in ten years?

The program I'm very, very proud of and that is going to define us is actually named after Nikos Mouyiaris and is supported by the Niarchos Foundation. It’s the Nikos Mouyiaris Leadership 2030 program, where we recruit these young Greek Americans and we put them under a mentorship program. We put them in rooms where they sit in with Greek ministers, with senators, with diplomats, many of them have been in top secret briefings. But the reason we call it 2030 is by the year 2030 we want to have a couple, hundred kids through this program. And these couple of hundred kids will have had, by

that time experiences that people who are 70 today have never had They will have had a track record And most importantly, they will have each other. So wait till 2030. Watch these kids by 2030 You may see them as vice

I

we're

a good

Youalsostudiedabroad?

presidents and presidents and CEOs of companies.

think

building

class of committed leaders, civic leaders, Hellenic leaders.

HALC members with Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou: Andreas Akaras, Laura Zervoudakis, Greek Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou, HALC Vice Chairman Tasos Pardalis, Endy Zemenides, Stathis Theodoropoulos, Katerina Dimitratos, Eleni Delimpaltadaki, Orion Karagiannis (at luncheon in honor of PM Mitsotakis, September 2022)

HALC members: Lorrie and George Marks, Maria and Tasos Pardalis, Vicky and Endy Zemenides, Michael and Aleka Dovellos, Andreas Akaras, Demetra and Loukas Kozonis, Harris Mylonas (at dinner in honor PM Mitsotakis May 2022)

NEO Youth Sports with the Archangel Michael Community of Port Washington

Together, they will be developing story ideas, conducting interviews and writing publishable articles. These young writers will be d o i n g s e r i o u s w o r k , bringing stories to the forefront that are important to them that fit within the editorial guidelines of the magazine

The Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church of Port Washington and NEO Magazine will be working together to introduce aspiring young writers and journalists to the fast-paced and exciting world of media and journalism. The AMC Greek Orthodox Church has been serving over 700 families in the Manhasset, Great Neck, Roslyn, Port Washington and New Hyde Park communities of Long Island since 1981.

Youngwritersandjournalistwill workhandin hand with Editor in Chief Dimitri Michalakis and Chairman Demetrios Rhompotis.

Additionally, through this unique partnership we will be introducing a brand-new section within the magazine called “NEO YouthSports”.Thissectionwillbededicatedto covering youth athletics and will feature our youth writers from the Archangel Michael community capturing exciting moments through high quality photos of players and teams, writing aboutgamesandscores.

We will kick off with coverage of the Basketball s e a s o n o f t h e G r e e k O r t h o d o x D i r e c t Archdiocesan District

League of New York. Every year communities and churches throughout New York City and Long Island participate in this league In fact, this year there will be over 120 teams competing in all different age groups. The league has been around for over 3 decades and has served as a vehicle where young athletes and members of parishes get to meet and interact with each other. Lifelong friendships and bonds have been created amongst participants throughout the league’s existence As noted on the Archdiocesan District website, the Athletic ministries have become an integral part of children’s fellowship with eachotherandtheChurch.

Lookoutfortheseyoungwritersandbesureto checkoutournewNEOYouthSportssection.

AMC Junior Boys RED

PHOT

O: GEORGE P A TILIS

Annual Athens Square Park Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

offer, such as our eateries, shopping, various cultures,parks,andrecreationalareas,historic sites, and stunning views such as the east river fromAstoriaPark.

As many of you know, the space we enjoy today was renovated in the 1990s with the express purpose of creating a place for the entire neighborhood to gather Those who led that campaign, including Mayor Dinkins and Council Speaker Peter Vallone, George Delis, George Stamatiadis, Dennis Tsinatillis, George Alexiou, and Chris Karastathis under Athens Square Inc., had it in mind to create “ a little bit of Athens in Astoria.”

the restrictions have been lifted, we have been able to add more activities, including the parade that features the first horse and carriage to roam Astoria’s streets in over one hundred years! And which was televised live by ERT TV, NY 1, Cosmos FM Radio, and Facebookusers,andothers.

It’s wonderful to have so many friends join us to celebrate the season and our diverse community This year marks the first time a Christmas Parade marched down 30th Avenue to this location ’The Heart of Astoria”

This is why ancient Greek culture is so notable here - especially the amphitheater and the statues of Socrates and Athena.Of course, a lot has changed in the decades that have followed, including the introduction of so many new and varied ethnicities and cultures into our Astoria community. Today numbering in excess of 124 different nationalities, this v i b r a n t neighborhood is the most diverse hamlet in the most diverse city in the world. And it is absolutely delightful the way in which we bring all of t h e s e v a r i e d b a c k g r o u n d s together to celebrate and introduce some brightness into the darkest part of the year.

Quite a lot of time and effort went into decorating the largest Christmas tree in QUEENS, stringing these five-thousand lights, and getting that star on the top I want to extend a hearty “Thank You!” to everyone who helped make our Christmas tree and parade so festive On behalf of Maria and our children, I want to wish each of you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you At this point, I also want to thank our FOUNDING Committee Members, Benefactors, and Sponsors.

This tree represents all the peoples of Astoria, Long Island City, and the neighboring communities. This season is about family, dear friends, celebrations, and events like this Christmas Tree and Parade can act as a stimulus to bring new people to our area to experience all the great things that we have to

Perhaps this is why people from across the globe have joined us via YouTube, which reports the event received seven million views over the last three years. Some of you may remember that when we first held this celebration in the m i d d l e o f t h e pandemic, it was originally conceived as simply a way to safely bring the Astoria community together at a time when we were all so isolated. However, as

by Gus Lambropoulos

The Hellenic Initiative’s 10 Anniversary New York Gala Raises More Than $2M

The Hellenic Initiative (THI) 10th anniversary New York Gala took place on December 3 and raised USD $2,248,000 to be deployed in Greece to support Greek economic/entrepreneurial development and humanitarianprograms.

city of Thessaloniki, was honored at the event and said, “In the years to come, science and technologywill continuetoleadtheway,while countries that focus on innovation will see rapid, stable and, most importantly, inclusive and equitable growth in the future Greece has

th

Since its founding, THI hasbecome the largest Greek diaspora organization in the world, with supporters in over 45 countries. The New York Gala, THI's largest annual event, hosted more than 800 dignitaries and guests this year atCiprianiWallStreet.

Dr Arlbert Bourla, Chairman and CEO of Pfizer, and a native son of the northern Greek

an excellent opportunity to become one of these countries and I strongly believe that the Greek diaspora can contribute to upgrade the innovativeecosystemofthecountry”

Pfizer has invested significantly in an innovation hub in Thessaloniki as a way to create opportunities for young Greeks and help reverse the brain drain of young professionalsleavingGreece

“Dr. Bourla’s and Pfizer’s commitment to Greece and the Greek people have been a triumph of generosity,” said THI Board Chairman and Co-Founder Andrew N. Liveris “Our work at the intersection of philanthropy and economic development is creating a framework of support for Greece thatwillgoonforgenerations.”

“Our THI Board, our many generous supporters, and our dedicated staff are honored to be extending a helping hand to so many in Greece,” said THI Board President and Co-Founder George P Stamas In accepting a special honor for THI’s 10-year anniversary, Mr Stamas praised the commitment of his many long serving fellow boardmembers.

“The whole THI family: our Board, talented staff, donors, supporters and each person who attended brought their energy and passion to theeveningandmadeitagreatsuccess.Weare so grateful THI is launching into our second decade with tremendous momentum,” said THIExecutiveDirectorTinaCourpas.

Father Alexander Karloutsos opened the evening’s presentation with a moment of prayer

Officials from Greece and the Greek American community attended, including the U.S. Ambassador in Athens, George Tsunis;

James N Gianopulos, Ret Chairman and CEO, Paramount Pictures, served as emcee and Greek superstar Elli Kokkinou performed for an enthusiastic crowd The Jimmy Vali Bandprovidedentertainment.

(L to R) Mr. Andrew N. Liveris, honoree Dr. Albert Bourla (Chairman and CEO of Pfizer), and Mr. George P. Stamas

(L to R) Mr. James N. Gianopulos, Mr. Dennis Mehiel, award recipient Mr. George P. Stamas, and Mr. Andrew N. Liveris

(L to R) THI Board President George P. Stamas, Georgia Stamas, Paula Liveris, and THI Board Chairman Andrew N. Liveris

the Greek Ambassador in Washington, Alexandra Papadopoulou; the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus, Marios Lysiotis; the Consul General of Greece in New York, Konstantinos Konstantinou; the Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus, Michalis Firillas; Prince Pavlos of Greece and Denmark an d h i s w i fe Mar i e C h ant a l ; U S RepresentativeNicoleMalliotakis.

Nineteen THI Board members from the U.S., Greece and Australia attended including John Koudounis, Michael Psaros, and Dennis Mehiel

A silent auction of world-class art, jewelry and experiences donated by Greeks from around the world contributed more than $120,000 the totalfundsraised

On Friday December 2, a sold-out pre-Gala celebration of the next generation of THI called THI New Leaders was held at Thalassa Restaurant in Tribeca. On Saturday morning December 3, THI in connection with Friends of St. Nicholas, hosted over 150 THI New Leaders and Board members for a private tour oftheSt.NicholasGreekOrthodoxShrine.

Founded in 2012, THI is a global, nonprofit, secular institution mobilizing the Greek

diaspora and philhellene community to support sustainable economic recovery and renewal for the Greek people THI's has made direct distribution of more than $20 million, 60% of which has been deployed into Greece’s economic development, and 40% into programs focused on crisis relief. For more i n f o r m a t i o n t h e i r w e b s i t e i s TheHellenicInitiative.org

PHOTO: MINDALA DESIGN/J. ANGELINO

Mr. James N. Gianopulos, Ret. Chairman and CEO, Paramount Pictures, served as emcee

Mr. Andrew N. Liveris at the podium

Overview of the THI 10th Anniversary NY Gala 2022 at Cipriani Wall Street

Elli Kokkinou

National Hellenic Society Fundraiser in NY for the Promotion and Preservation of Greek Heritage a Great Success

When it comes to philanthropy, Greeks invented the word, but do they put their money where their mouth is? Some might say that Greeks could do more to help each other, and while they are saying that, there are many philanthropic individuals already among them doing just that - helping others and putting their money down on the table for a

Casino Night, a fundraising initiative of the NY Chapter of National Hellenic Society (NHS), was held recently at the Woodside Country Club in Muttontown, NY All proceeds from the event went to the Heritage Greece Program, an initiative of the National Hellenic Society to preserve and promote Greekculture,history,andeducation.

College of Greece in Athens and exchange experiences with their Greek peers, while becoming more acquainted with their ancestral birthplace and their Hellenic heritage NHS Board Chairman Drake Behrakis and Executive Director Art Dimopoulos firmly believe in the NHS mission, as they put it “to celebrate, disseminate, and pass on the paradosis of Hellenicheritagetofuturegenerations.”

good cause. In this case, it’s a casino table. If you give them a reason to have fun, network, and help others they are the ones rolling the dice and making it happen in the ethos of true Hellenism.

Heritage Greece is a cultural and educational immersion program that is open to Greek American college students. The program was established over ten years ago. Students accepted into the program travel to Greece and stay in dormitories at the American

While they do this through various programs and events geared towards networking among GreekAmericans, thegoal andmodelwith the Heritage Greece Program is similar to that of Birthright Israel They want this to be a lifechanging experience for students. According to Drake Behrakis and Art Dimopoulos the purpose of this NHS program is to “ sponsor students of Greek descent and take them on an odyssey of self-discovery of their respective heritage, culture, values, and roots in Greece

Proceeds from the event provide scholarships to Greek-American college students The NHS has sponsored 600+ students and through efforts such as this continues to scale and expand the Program to host more studentsonthislife-changingexperience”

NHS Chairman Drake Behrakis with Mike Bapis

by Athena Efter

Steve Valiotis and Alex Stavrinoudis

Kirk Karabelas, John Petras, and Nick Katopodis

John Belesis, Jordan Kokkoris and Jim Ziozis

P H O TO: E T A P RESS

Members of the organizing committee

Dr John Frankis who is one of the sponsors of the Casino Night fundraiser here in NY along with NY Chapter members Nick Katopodis, Nick Pashalis,Dimitri Belesis,Steven Spucces, Paul Tsoumpariotis MD, and John Venetis, agrees. His daughter was selected into the program a couple of years ago and he was very impressed with her enthusiasm for the program and how much she benefited from it. Dr. Frankis understands the importance of preserving our Hellenic heritage, especially now, more than ever, as we become a more culturally integrated global world: “It’s going to happen. Your children will marry someone who is not Greek, and so will their children, so you want to keep the culture alive as much as you can ” His vision as a member of this worthwhile organization is to see more NHS chapters across the country do more nights like “Casino Night” to maximize fundraising effortsandsendasmanystudentsaspossible.

The cost per child is about $3500 for the program, and it has now expanded into the city of Thessaloniki with an immersion program being offered at the American

College there There has been discussion of doing something similar in LA and Chicago. Dr Frankis remains optimistic that this fundraising initiative will continue to flourish and expand, all in the name of Hellenism, for future generations to continue their Greek odyssey. With additional funding, NHS hopes to continue expanding participation in the Heritage Greece program. One of their goals for 2023 is to collaborate with the PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation to offer Heritage Greece scholarships to recipients of the PanHellenic scholarship, as well as provide career advancement opportunities to the students upon their return from Greece and encourage volunteerism and involvement with NHS programs and activities on a regional and national level. Drake Behrakis and Art Dimopoulos resonate the value of continuing these fundraising efforts for future planning and long-term preservation goals: “The Greek diaspora has rapidly evolved, and if we are to continue to keep Hellenism thriving, relevant, and part of a person ’ s identity, programs such as Heritage Greece are partofthelong-termsolution.”

In the words of ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu: “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” The NHS is taking that giant step with a single step forward into a philanthropic journey where Greece represents the “nostos”, the nostalgia of a glorious past easily lost in a globalized world. Each student is offered a chance to have their own Homeric journey, a homecoming where their Greek heritage is never forgotten and remains a proud reminder of all the heroes that fought to preserve it for them and future generationstocome.

The National Hellenic Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation dedicated to the preservation of Greek heritage in America. It is a proud association of leaders, visionaries and philanthropists who perpetuate and celebrate our rich heritage by developing engaging programs

thatpromoteHellenism.

Jeremy Chan, Christopher Nacopoulos, Lia Frankis, Gina Frankis and Alan Klenor

Marilena Katopodis, Alan Klenor, Gina Frankis, Lia Frankis, Maria Frankis

John Frakis addressing the event

George Efstathopolos and Stelio Frankis

Dino Megaloudis, Stefano Vouvoudakis, Dennis Matarangas, Chris Triantafillou, Michael Psyllos, and Michael Bapis

Kirk Karabelas, Niko Katopodis

James Litchhult, Niko Katopodis, Stelio Katopodis, Joe Litchhult

Elena Kefalogiannis (left), Marilena Katopodis

Maitre Nick Sahlaras with Chef Kostas Rompotis

Angelo Katopodis, Gregory Sioris, Stelio Katopodis, Stelio Frankis

Honoring Evangeline Douris at HANAC’s Golden Anniversary

by Athena Efter

On Friday, October 21, HANAC celebrated its 50th anniversary gala at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Manhattan, honoring Evangeline Douris, Co-Founder and Chairman of HANAC, with a lifetime achievementawardforherservice

Evangeline was born on the island of Limnos and emigrated to NYC with her family Her husband George Douris was a reporter at the Long Island Press who was stationed at Room 9 in New York’s City Hall, a journalistic institution that was, at the time, a powerhouse of reporting. The 1960s had seen an influx of Greek immigrants, and it became apparent that the Greek community needed some type of support According to Mrs. Douris, “We were not unique. Other organizations were part of the ethnic movement. ESL programs were created to help immigrants get jobs.” George Douris approached Mayor John Lindsay and made a case for the need to help acclimate Greek immigrantsinthe1960s.In1972,hewas awarded a planning grant of $75,000 to establish HANAC (Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee) as a solution to address the needs within the growing wave of immigrants in the Greek community, which also included social services for the elderly. Along with ESL services, additional proposals to the city were submitted for the developmentofaseniorcenter.HANAC mushroomed from there to become a citywide social service organization with city, state, and federal funding that servesover30,000NYCresidentsandincludes 650 affordable housing units for seniors throughouttheboroughofQueens.

While her husband, George Douris passed away in 1995, Evangeline has continued to tirelessly carry on the legacy he started She was stunned and humbled by the great honor

she received that evening. Admittedly she would rather be working: “Though George is not here, I continue his work. The important thing is that we take care of those who are in need and need our help, especially my seniors. I adore my seniors and I’m there for them all thetime.”

H A N A C s t a f f , calling them “the heart and soul of the organization”. A d d i t i o n a l c o m m e n t s included Donovan Richards, Borough P r e s i d e n t o f Q u e e n s , w h o emphasized the organization’s growth: “We’ve watched this organization grow from helping mainly one demographic of a single location tothatofover30,000individualsofallwalksof life.” US Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney shared her endearing sentiments upon first meeting Evangeline or Angie, as she affectionately calls her: “I felt as if I had died and gone to heaven. She was so gracious, helpful, and wonderful, and throughout the years we have worked together to put up four senior housing developments aided with federal funding.” State Senator John Liu was thankful for all Mrs. Douris has done for the community, and State Senator Michael Giannaris honored her with a proclamation for hermany years of service, noting that sheis “themotherofthecommunity”.

Andrea Stassou served as the Master of Ceremony for this milestone gala. Fr Alex Karloutsos, Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, offered prayers and blessings in memory of George Douris whom he noted “made movie stars of everyone he met, touched, and inspired”, as a reflection of the true testament to his character, which was to help people in need. He then turned his attention over to the woman of honor, Evangeline Douris, who was also celebrating her birthday that evening He wished her a happy b i r t h d a y b u t n o t w i t h o u t highlighting her contributions and service to the organization, noting t h a t “ t h o u g h h e r g r a c e , perseverance, and intelligence has brought HANAC to the glorious heightsofitsgoldenanniversary”

Stacy Bliagos, Executive Director, presented the volunteer of the year award and especially thanked

Evangeline Douris continues to be a dynamic force driving HANAC’s mission, along with a strong Board of Directors and HANAC’s dedicated management team and staff. With her own words, ‘I’d rather be working”, Evangeline has proven through her leadership that HANAC is hard at work, having impacted over 1 million people since 1972 by providing affordable housing, social services, adult and family services, and youth programs. HANAC has four additional housing initiatives planned and pending approval. New projects include Court Street Residences in White Plains, NY in partnership with Monadnock Development, and affordable housing units for seniors with the “Innovation Queens” development project in the Kaufman Arts District. This $2 billion development plan is

Evangeline Douris

NY State Senator John Liu, Evangeline Douris

Andrea Stassou

Fr. Alexander Karloutsos & Mrs. Karloutsos, Margo Catsimatidis and John Catsimatidis

part of a real estate project initiative of Silverstein Properties, Kaufman Astoria Studios and Bedrock Real Estate Partners to boost small business economy and create more jobs. And there is Evangeline, at the

center of it all, making sure her seniors are not forgotten.

To those who may not know her, Evangeline Douris is a powerhouse of

To

community service.

those who know her, she is an angel in disguise, extending her late husband’s wings, together with her own, to touch the lives of NYC’smostvulnerable

PHOTO: ETA PRESS

From left to right: Litsa Douris, Nikitas Drakotos, Stacy Bliagos, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Evangeline Douris, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Team Member, George Mihaltses

George Mihaltses, Haeda Mihaltses, Demetria Tsagaris, Stacy Bliagos, Aravella Simotas, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Evangeline Douris, Andrea Stassou, Lorraine Grillo, Stephen Aiello, NY State Senator Michael Gianaris

Leonardo Saputo, Evangeline Douris, Tom Douris, Litsa Douris Litsa Douris

Fr. Alexander Karloutsos & Mrs. Karloutsos, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Evangeline Douris, NY State Senator Michael Gianaris

Adriene Lesser, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Evangeline Douris

UHVA Hosts Annual Gala, Honors Founding Father

T h e U n i t e d Hellenic Voters o f A m e r i c a (UHVA) hosted its first postpandemic gala this fall at the Fountain Blue Banquets in Des Plaines, Ill The event recognized members of the community and honored the memory of the organization’s founding father, Dr Dimitrios Kyriazopoulos, who passed awaylastyear.

A non-partisan grass roots political group, UHVA was founded in 1974 and serves the Greek-American community in the Chicago area. In the aftermath of the Cyprus invasion, Dr Kyriazopoulos, an educator and a leader in the Greek community, established UHVA to give Greek-Americans a collective voice and representation in government and civil affairs. During his tenure, Dr K. as he is affectionately known, forged close relationships with elected officials, advocated for government jobs for Greek-Americans, and helped bring Greek issuestotheforefront.

“This evening is especially bittersweet,” said National Supreme Chairman Kiki Whitehead. “Dr K.’s spirit is felt so deeply tonight. He would be so proud to see you all here because this was his life’s work,bringing us all together, sharing our Hellenic pride, and providing a voiceforGreek-Americans.”

“When I met Dr. K., I could tell right away he was a kind, caring and gentle man, admired, respected,andheldinthehighestregardbyhis friends and loved ones,” shared John Valle, Supervisor of York Township “He will surely be missed by me and all the lives that have been touched by his presence. I would like to express my deepest appreciation and profound gratitude for his years of public service and all of his efforts to improve the qualityoflifeforhiscommunity”

Greek-American and other elected officials and candidates, plus members and friends of theGreekcommunity

The 2022 Person of the Year is Illinois Speaker oftheHouse,Emanuel“Chris”Welch.Speaker since January 2021, Welch has also represented the 7th District in Illinois since 2013. Much of his work has focused on education. Prior to becoming speaker, he was a member of several different committees. As chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, he championed several pieces of historic legislation such as the four-year-mapgrantawardandtheAIMHighScholarship.

Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree is Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White White is the37th andlongest-serving Secretary of State and has served Illinois since 1998. Prior to this office, he held several others, including State Librarian, State Archivist, and Cook County Recorder of Deeds.He’s also thefounderof the renowned Jesse White Tumblers, which he created in 1959, “to provide a positive alternativeforinner-citykids”

UHVA’s motto is “People Not Party” This is vitally important today UHVA encourages its members to become actively involved in political discourse, become educated on important issues, and respect the rights and opinions of others. Many times, people enter the voting booth and don’t recognize names on the ballot. As voting is a right, it also brings an obligation to learn about the issues to inform our votes. Each election cycle, UHVA invites candidates for local, state, and federal offices to endorsement sessions, where they may present their plans and outline their stanceontheissues.TheSupremeBoard then selects an endorsement list, a bipartisan collective of candidates who they believe will forward issues pertinent to the Greek community and are committed to serve the communityat-large. They also encourage GreekAmericans to run for political office or toforgecareersinpublicservice

2022 Mayor of the Year is George D. Alpogianis, Mayor of Niles, Ill A resident of Niles since 2000, and the proprietor of his family’s Kappy’s Restaurant, he served two terms as village trustee prior to being elected mayor in 2021. A man who truly loves him hometown, Alpogianis leads with a mixture of his love for community, his business acumen, andhisGreekfamilyvalues.

UHVA’s founder helped many Greeks and non-Greeks to secure jobs or to help them on their path to office. Members and friends acknowledged his assistance “Dr K. and the UHVAwerehelpful insecuringmypositionof Public Administrator for Cook County,” remarkedLouApostol,Esq

“We also dedicate our efforts to strengthen ties between the people and governments of Greece and the United States,” Whitehead explained “Our two countries share deep and historical foundations in democracy.”

Each year, at their awards gala, UHVA recognizes key individuals for their work the community The sold-out event featured local

Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Kyriakoula A. Fournier is this year ’ s Most Distinguished Greek-American in Law Koula has served the State’s Attorney’s office for the past 22 years and is currently assigned to the Criminal Appeals Division. She’s worked in several other divisions, including Sex Crimes, Felony Trial, Internet Crimes Against Children, the Juvenile Justice Bureau, and the Narcotics Bureau. During her tenure, she has

by Maria A. Karamitsos

Secretary of State Jesse White accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award

Dupage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin, Hon. Judge Anna Demacopoulos, and Honoree Koula Fournier

Honoree Secretary of State Jesse White with UHVA Supreme Board Members Robert Whitehead and Mary Kyriazopoulos

litigated hundreds of trials and motions on various felonies. Koula is a proud Hellene, w ho has s e r ve d many c om mu n it y organizations, including the Hellenic Bar Association.

This year ’ s Most Distinguished GreekAmerican in Media is Paul Kotrotsios, founder and publisher of Hellenic News of America. He started the newspaper in 1987 and is also the founder a n d p r e s i d e n t o f H e r m e s E x p o

Int e r n at i on a l , an annual trade show and exhibition networking event. Born in Greece, Kotrotsios built his A m e r i c a n D r e a m ser ving his Greek community, not only in the media, but as a founder and member of many organizations, including US-Greece Business Advisory Council of Greater Philadelphia, Hellenic American NationalCouncil,andothers.

The 2022 Restaurant of the Year Honoree is Ki’s Restaurant in Glendale Heights, Ill. Opened in 1934, Ki’s began as a field house with two gas pumps at the front entrance, situated on a twolane dirt road that’s now a major thoroughfare called North Avenue (Illinois Route 64). From its humble beginnings, Ki’s grew into a popular place in DuPage County, where customers could enjoy a great meal at a reasonable price That was always their goal, along with “ warm, attentive,

quality service”.Now,several generationslater, Ki’s is run by Spiro and Lefteris Roumpas. Spiro proudly accepted the award on behalf of all of his staff, whom he a c k n o w l e d g e d f o r helping the business survive economic crises andapandemic.

UHVA honors the legacy of Dr K., but they don’t rest on “that’s the way we always do it” thinking They continue to evolve a s o u r c o m m u n i t y evolves To learn more ab out UHVA, v ie w endorsement lists, and find out about the Dr K. Scholarship, their websiteisuhva.org.

Dupage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin, UHVA President Elaine Zannis, and Illinois Supreme Court Justice Michael J. Burke

Most Distinguished Greek-American in Law, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Kyriakoula A. Fournier

Illinois Secretary of State Candidate Alexi Giannoulias with UHVA Supreme Board Member Robert Whitehead

Mayor of Niles George Alpogianis received the 2022 Mayor of the Year award

“We’re Back!”

Annunciation G.O. Church’s Annual Stewardship & Mistletoe Gala

by Chris Salboudis

On Saturday December 3, 2022, after a twoyear hiatus resulting from the pandemic, the immediate and extended community of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of NewYorkgathered attheHarvardClubforthe long-anticipated annual Stewardship and Mistletoe Young Professional Galas. This twopart black-tie event serves as a means of promoting fellowship within the GreekAmerican community and raising critical funds needed for the maintenance of the parishanditsdiverseministries.

The event, which supports the iconic church located on the corner of 91st Street a n d We s t E n d , welcomed over 700 g u e s t s a t t h e picaresque venue. Guests were filled with good cheer as they danced the night away to the tunes performed by the Dean Vail Orchestra (bounce-us com) in the main dining hall andDJBobbyKarounos(spartansounds.com) aroundtheenormousChristmastree

George J Kostas, President of Annunciation Parish Council, served as MC for the event, offering a warm welcome to the assembled parea. “We’re back!” he began, which met with a roaring round of applause, followed by his heartfelt expression of humble thanks to the assembly Mr Kostas ended his welcome with

an invitation to the assembly to visit and join in on the available activities offered at Annunciation. “I’d like you to take the journey to the corner of 91st street and visit us…. We have something for everybody…. The amazing thing about our parish is that always brings me joy is that it’s open every day of the week,allyearround.There’salwayssomething going on, so I want you to come and see that… and hope it will enrich your life as much as it hasenrichedmine”

“We’re back!” is a sentiment that has resounded with every heartfelt outreach effort by Gala Chair Kassandra Romas, who led the efforts for the evening’s events with unprecedentedsuccess.

It’s important to note that in 2020 a valiant attempt to boost community morale Annunciation had hosted virtual galas during the pandemic under the leadership of Rev Fr Chrysostomos Gilbert (currently Dean of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and former presiding priest at Annunciation), Mrs. Romas and her committee, with special performances by DJ Bobby Karounos (Owner, Spartan Sounds), Vassilis Anastasiou (aka Singer/Director So Tiri), comedian Ellen Karis and John Livanos (Founder, Stray Dog Wild Gin). This year, when asked how it felt to be back at the gala, DJ Bobby shared, “It feels amazing to be here celebrating to see everybody’s smiling faces. We’re looking forward to celebrating from Annunciation tonight.I’mtrulyhonoredtobeback.”

Now, in 2022, despite uncertain odds, the

event sold out in record time, a fact that reflects the Greek and Greek American community’s appreciation for this special annual celebration of faith and unity. When asked how it felt to be back, Mr Kostas shared, “There was an electric aura in the room… people were excited and happy to be back and it was reflected in the spirit of true joy, camaraderie and celebration….The fact that it took three years to get back together again both made it a successin theattendanceandin the actual celebration. It was fantastic. We’re looking forward to next year being bigger, better and much more well received Both sides, the Mistletoe and Stewardship Galas, seamlessly moved together as the night evolved. It was the first time I can remember that, when the doors were opened, we had a rush of people come in to the Stewardship s i d e p e r h a p s because the music stared a bit earlier and everyone was dying to start dancing… they didn’t want to wait. It wasafirst.”

It was particularly moving to see that b ot h Re v Fat her Sotirios Michalatos (presiding over the Annunciation family since September 2021) and Rev. Father Gilbert (representing Archbishop Elpidophoros this year) were in attendance among the parishioners who have growntoknowandappreciatethemboth.

“We’ve taken a two-year hiatus from our Stewardship & Mistletoe Galas and it is so goodtobebackhereattheHarvardClub,”says Father Michalatos, expressing his gratitude at

being the presiding priest at Annunciation. “This gala has been a great fundraiser for our church community and could not be possible without the hard work of so many individuals who make up the fabric of our beloved church family….Tonight our church raises funds to keep our community sustainable, but it’s also a night

to gather in fellowship with one another a night to come together in true

PHOTO: ETA PRESS

Gala Committee Photo (from Father Sotirios Michalatos): Top Row (left to right): Nicholas Sakellariadis, Julie Sakellariadis, Maria Vissas, Angela Geras, Chloe Politis, Niki Devaris, Vicki Politis, Paul Politis, Alexandra Devaris, Stacey Nicolas, Tony Antonopoulos, Yanni Metaxas, Chrysanthy Panagos, Eleana Panagos, Anthea Dagiantis. Bottom Row (left to right): George J. Kostas, Kassandra Romas, Rev. Father Sotiros Michalatos, Presvytera Katherine Michalatos.

Sophia Tsilerides, Victoria Pappas, Angelina Medina, Christina Fileas, Fotini Mamos, Demi Louros, Sotiria Pateroulakis (Maids of Athena Bayside Chapter)

Rev. Father Sotirios Michalatos with wife, Presvytera Katerina Michalatos

Greg Gounardes & Andrea Giavroutas

annunciation spirit with our beloved friends to celebrate all o f G o d ’ s b l e s s i n g s ”

Father extends special thanks t o m a n y members of the p a r i s h w h o were seminal i n t h e collaborative preparations for the event and affiliated meetings, outreach and more. “I’m so grateful for everyone ’ s Godgiven talents and for putting them to use. But always at our helm, our tireless leader steering the ship, is our Chairwoman, Kassandra Romas.” Another resounding applause from the assembly for Mrs. Romas, who has been Chair for the past 18 years. Next, Father Michalatos recognized the efforts of Nick and Julie Sakellariadis, the Harvard Alum who helped establishthismission and“ …are pillars within the Annunciation community for many, many years, seeing that many projects and renovations got completed under their watchful eyes…. They have an ability to make everyone feel like they’re a part of their family, which is a beautiful, beautiful thing.” Finally, Father offers his thanks to Annunciation’s administrative team, the many families and the Parish Council members who work

tirelessly year-round to ensure that every aspect of daily, weekly and seasonal activities all run smoothly, lending their time, wisdom andexperiencetoallaspectsofAnnunciation’s ongoing missions and initiatives. “And now,” Father concludes, “ you are all a part of our churchfamily….”

In a show of support for the Hellenic young professional community were members of several organizations, including: Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce, Hellenic Medical Society, HABA, National Hellenic S t u d e nt A s s o c i at i o n o f A m e r i c a , Philo4Thought,etc.

Fa t h e r Ev a g o r a s C o n s t a n t i n i d e s ,

Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne by His Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Director of Special Events, shared that “Annunciation has really taken the church dance to a whole new level The gala is not just an event for a parish but has truly turned into THE social event of Greek America in New York. Tonight, I’ve seen friends not just from New York, but Kansas City, Chicago, Florida, and all over the country to be at this event! C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s t o Annunciation! We wish Father Sotiri and his entire community many,manymoreyears!”

“It was wonderful to be together to celebrate our 18th annual Stewardship & Mistletoe Galas. I was overjoyed to see our beloved community partake in this highly anticipated event and celebrate our faith in Christ.” says Father Michalatos. The 2023 Gala is set for Saturday,December2nd Seeyouthere!

Anthony Orisses (Founding CEO, Rare Cut)

(Left to right) George Kostas (Parish Council President) with wife Zoe, Dena Skeadas (Gala Liaison), Prof. Chris Salboudis (Founder, Philo4Thought)

Yianni Manuel, Katherine Rigano, Demi Louros, Yianni Karangelen, Stacie Zimaras, James Maccone

Burnett

The First Lady of Television Comedy

by Markos Papadatos

Acclaimed actress and legendary comedian Carol Burnett (“The Carol Burnett Show”) chatted about her latest endeavors. Track and field icon Wilma Rudolph once said: “Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us ” Carol Burnett is a woman and entertainer that embodies this wise quote by the running legend.

She spoke about her current initiative to change New York’s Majestic Theatre’s name to The Harold Prince Theatre, and rightfully so “ImadeavideoandIstarted callingthepeople who worked with Hal and they made videos, and it kind of caught on. We just don’t want to lose the momentum, and we are hoping that the Schuberts who run the Majestic will see thatthisistherightthingtodo,”shesaid

In a post on her social media page, she remarked, “I believe, along with many others in the theatre world, that the Majestic Theatre in New York City should be renamed after the brilliant producer and director Harold Prince. It’s more than fitting since the Majestic houses ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ which was directed by Hal and it’s the longest-running show in Broadwayhistory”

“And not only that,” Burnett said. “Hal was the recipient of 21 Tony Awards for Broadway shows he produced and/or directed. I had the joy of knowing and working with Hal and it was one of the most wonderful and rewarding experiences in my career. He was a beloved friend, and I can’t think of a better way to honor his brilliant contributions to the theater

than changing the Majestic to the Harold PrinceTheater”

“It just makes sense because Hal Prince directed ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ which has beenattheMajesticTheaterfor35years,andit is going to be closing in February It’s just a slam dunk as far as I am concerned that it should be renamed the Harold Price Theater. Also, there are no theaters on Broadway namedafterdirectors,”sheadded.

“There are theaters named after composers and playwrights but there are none named after a director Again, Hal Prince is the obvious person that should be honored with this. It would be wonderful to rename the Majestic after him because ‘Phantom’ is coming. I’ve thought about this for ages even beforeHalpassedaway,”sheelaborated.

“People should make a video with the hashtag #themajesticisfitforaPrince because we want to keep the momentum going so that the theater’snamegetschanged,”shesaid.

The iconic entertainer will be returning to TV. She will be starring as Norma in the Apple scripted comedy series “Mrs. American Pie,” opposite Kristen Wiig. “I am doing that now,” she said “I have been filming since June and I am finished in two more weeks. It has been really fun, especially the people that I am with.”

Speaking of the cast of “Mrs. American Pie,” she shared that it consists of Kristen Wiig, AllisonJanney,LauraDern,andRickyMartin, amongother“wonderfulpeople”

Her character, Norma, is the grande dame of Palm Beach high society and a keeper of secrets with more than a few of her own, in the series that is based on the book by Juliet McDaniel “It will come out next year,” she revealed.

The reigning “Queen of Comedy” noted that she enjoyed doing the series “Finding Your Roots.” “That is going to be aired,” she said “Also, next year, we are going to have a 90th birthdaycelebrationontelevision.”

On being a performer in the digital age, Burnett said, “I am thrilled that I am still able to work at this age, and it’s so good What is really fun is that we have DVDs, and I am on MeTV and Shout!, I am getting fanmail from 10-year-olds and teenagers and that’s a thrill. People are just discovering our show that weren’tevenbornwhenIwasdoingit.”

“Peoplestillenjoyitandgetakickoutofit.The comedy hasn’t aged so much, we never really did anything that was very topical. We wanted to go for the belly laughs. It is a nice legacy to have,” she added about “The Carol Burnett Show.”

In 2016, she was recognized with the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, in honor of her career achievement, as well as her humanitarian accomplishments. Three years later, in 2019, the Golden Globes named an award after her for career achievement in television, the “Carol Burnett Award,” where Burnettwastheinauguralrecipient.

The “Carol Burnett Award” at the Golden Globes recognizes individuals for outstanding

contributionstotelevisiononoroffthescreen. “That was a thrill,” she admitted. “I remember when they told me that I was going to receive thataward,andIthoughtthatwasgreat.When they told me they were going to name it after meandIwasamazed,thatwasquiteanhonor,” shesaid.

Throughout her illustrious career in television,Burnetthasbeen therecipientofsix Primetime Emmy awards, a special Tony award, the Mark Twain Prize, a Peabody Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom; moreover, she was a Kennedy CenterHonoree.

Her notable show, “The Carol Burnett Show,” was hailed by “Time Magazine” as one of the “100 Best Television Shows of All Time” It ran for 11 years and averaged 30 million viewers each week, and it subsequently earned 25 Emmy awards, thus making it one of the most decorated shows in television history

Burnett’s film credits include playing Miss Hannigan in Annie, as well as “Noises Off,” “A Wedding,” and “The Four Seasons.”

In 1985, she was inducted into the prestigious Television AcademyHallofFame

O n he r c are e r- d e f i n i ng moments, she said, “Doing the 11 years of ‘The Carol Burnett Show.’ Also, I’ve done a lot of other things, but that was the mostoutstanding.”

Regarding the key to longevity in the entertainment business, shesaid,“

In the book publishing arena, Burnett published her fourth book Fun in the Sandbox, which is a love letter to the golden era of television, while simultaneously dissecting the elements of what made The Carol Burnett Show the iconic success that it was.

On the title of the current chapter of her life, Burnett said, “Keep On Truckin’” “Look to the future and be grateful for how long you have been here Also, I have my health and I have all of my faculties and I am still able to memorize dialogue,”shesaid.

She recalled her time on “All My Children,” and described it as the “hardest-working medium.” “I really had fun doing ‘All My Children.’ I was sorry when they took it off the airafter40years,”shesaid

“I got to know the actors well, and I even got to socialize with themoccasionally whenI was in

NewYork,”sheadded.

For “All My Children” alum Cameron Mathison, one of the highlights of his career was when Burnett described him as a “fine actor,” especially since he grew up watching her and laughing with her. “I thought Cameronwasabsolutelywonderful,”shesaid

Last year, Burnett was a part of the Agnes Nixon tribute, which was hosted by Alan Locher of the Locher Room. They celebrated the life of “All My Children” creator Agnes Nixon. “Agnes was quite sweet. When we had our take on a soap opera on my show called ‘As The Stomach Turns,’ Agnes got a kick out of that. Agnes asked me if I would do a bit on ‘All MyChildren,’andIsaid‘ofcourse’andIdidit,” shesaid.

“I did a small cameo and then, she wrote me a character and I filmed it for two weeks. I had a big storyline going on, so I got to work with all of the wonderful people. I am still connected with Susan Lucci and I love Michael E. Knight. They are good people and very talented,” she said.

When asked how she handled being dialogueheavy on “All My Children,” Burnett said, “It was tough. I would have to study 20 pages the night before, and there were no retakes because they had to film a lot of scenes Sometimes,we hadthescript in our handsand they would count down before we would shoot, and we would stick the script under a pillow, couch, or a placemat, and you would hopethatyouwouldgetthedialogueright.”

When asked if she were to have any superpower, Burnett noted that it would be for the world to have “peace” and “ no more hate” “I can’t stand what is happening in the news today If I could wave my magicwand, it would betospreadpeace,”shesaid

If she were to look back in a rearview mirror over the last seven years, she said with a sweet laugh,“Iseeabetterrearend.”

Her alternate career choice would have been a “writer” or a “schoolteacher” “I would still be writing because I started out wanting to be a writer and I’ve written four books. I would want to continue writing. If I were younger, I would be a schoolteacher where I would teach the third or fourth grade I love kids that age,” shesaid.

If she were to go on “The Masked Singer,” she revealedthatshewouldgoonasa“Bengalcat.”

Onherdefinitionofthewordsuccess,shesaid, “Success to me means being happy in your work.” “There is a quote that I love: ‘I would love to go through life being untroubled by failure and untouched by triumph.’ Isn’t that an interesting quote? To be untroubled by failure and to be untouched by triumph, keepinganevenkeel,”shesaid

For her dedicated fans, Burnett concluded, “I am very grateful and thank you for your support,itmeanstheworldtome. ”

To learn more about Carol Burnett, follow her onInstagram.

YULETIDE IN NORTHERN EPIRUS

Christopsomo means Christ’s bread and it’s quite a symbolic loaf of bread. The bread is characterized by its cross-shape braid or “X” on the surface and with a whole unshelled walnut on the center The cross or “X” symbolizes Christ. The unshelled walnuts symbolize the womb of the Virgin Mary. Some say it also symbolizes fertility or the cave where the Christ was born.

black with a white headscarf wound around her hair and fastened with a topknot, looked up from thefire shewas t e n d i n g : “ Ἥ φ ε ρ ε ς τ ο πουρνάρι;” (“Did you bring theyewbranch?”)

My companion, her grandson, approached her and, removing theyewbranchhehadsecreted under his jacket, placed it slowly and reverently upon the fire Thenhegesturedformeto do the same. All the while, Vavo Makhi looked at me intently, hiding a half smirk of her wizened lips with her calloused hands. With a sweep of her hand, she bade me sit upon the low stool next to her The yew branches had caught alight and the sharp staccato of theircracklingfilledtheroom.

“Και του χρόνου βάβω Μάχη,” they would say, as they bent over to kiss her hand, departing soon after “As the branches squeak and rattle, so may your wishes reach the ears of God,” the old lady exclaimed, time and time again. “God protect them and all the Christians on this terrible night,” she then sighed, crossing herselfthreetimes.

“Why terrible?” I asked “Is this not the night that Jesus is born?” Vavo Makhi’s eyes grew wide as she clutched at the buttons of her jacket. “Yes, and the demons are angry They are out in force tonight, trying to waylay any god-fearing Christian who strays from his pathwhiletryingtogethome”

by Dean Kalimniou*

It was as cold as was necessary to remove the expression ‘cuts like a knife’ from the realms of the cliché. Among the inhabitants of the stone town of Argyrokastro, it was referred to as ῾διαπεραστικό, that is, it passes right through you,justlikeawell-honedblade.

The water which had pooled between the smooth cobblestones that wound their way up the hill towards the castle looming over the city to which it gave its name, more ashen than silver, whispering maledictions with every assault of the daggered wing, had frozen into ice,transformingtheroadintoaslide.

The hike up to our place of abode was thus almost impossible, and we only reached it by slipping and falling onto the walls of the houses fringing the road innumerable times. When we reached the double-storied stone home with the grey slate roof, we were as impenetrably frozen as the road and exhausted

Vavo Makhi, a wizened old woman clad in

“A long time ago, probably even before the time of Alexander,” Vavo Makhi began to intone as she poked the yew branches into place, sending sparks flying up the chimney, Jesus was born The angels appeared to three shepherds and told them to go and prostratethemselvesathisfeet. They had to walk through the pitch black night in order to find him. How could they see where they were going? What if they were attacked? The shepherds, who came from the villages around here, thought of setting fire to dry branches of yew which they could hold during their long journey The crackling of the branches was a blessing. It kept the robbers andthekalikantzaroiatbay”

It was ChristmasEve in this southernmostcity of Albania, the erstwhile capital of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus. Clearing the fog from the window, I watched a s a f e w m e n s t u m b l e d p a s t , grasping flaming branches of yew Every so often, the door of the house would creak open, propelling blasts of icy wind towards the fire. The tired and coldmenwould enter withtheirbranches.

“Surely you don’t believe in thekalikantzaroi?” I laughed “Make no jest about them,” Vavo Makhi snapped suddenly. “They are legion and take many forms. Take Psilovelonis (thin needle) for example He is a crafty one, that black one, with very long and thin fingers and a forked tail He is so thin that he can squeeze in through all the cracks and keyholes of the house Sometimes, it is food that goes missing, other times, babies – you can never tell. Then there is their leader, Mandrakoukos Zimaromitis (the dough-nosed). He holds a shepherd’s klitsa as if it’s the sceptre of a king and flits among the sheepfolds and shepherds’ trails. He knits his hat from pig hairs, but it is notlongenoughtocoverhisears,becausethey are the same size and shape as those of a donkey

On Christmas night, Mandrakoukos throws a hook down the chimney and takes food from the fire. Most of the time, he steals sheep. There are more. Anemi Kopsomesitis (the thin-waisted) has a very thin and long waist and his upper body turns round and round like a spinning top He gets caught in the warp of the loom and breaks the yarn that is being spun. Then there is Tragopodis (the goatfooted), who is hairy, with the legs and tail of a goat. You mark my words. If I do not take precautions tonight, he will steal the ChristopsomoI’vemadeorsoilit.”

Argyrokastro, Northern Epirus, Albania

“Bite your tongue,” Vavo Makhi breathed sharply. “There is the accursed Vervezou, the Trimouri Tzoghia, with the three faces. She is the curser of infants, the bane of pregnant women everywhere. God protect us all on this perilous night.” And she crossed herself over andoveragain.

Vavo Makhi’s Christopsomo, lovingly placed underneath the icons, was artfully decorated with the shape of a plough, for her late husband was a farmer and in this part of the Greek world, Christmas breads are decorated with shapes representative of the family’s occupation. “I should have placed bottles on it,” she snorted, and she made the sign of the crossover it. “For that wastheonly occupation my prokomenos was ever good at.” Additional small loaves were placed next to the main Christopsomo

“These kouloures are for our animals in the

village, the donkeys, sheep, and goats, they are allGod’screaturesafterall.Wewill break them up and feed them to them tomorrow so that they don’t get sick during the year.” Pointing to some Dali-esque loaves shaped like a figureeight, she continued: “These koliantines are for my grandchildren. With God’s will, after they eat these, they will remain healthy all throughout the year. Praise God a thousand times, His Son and His long-suffering Mother. What we women suffer Not even the Mother ofGodwassparedthesufferingofthislife.”

The physical exertion of battling the elements to arrive at Vavo Makhi’s home relatively unscathed, the close atmosphere created by a chimney that appeared not to have been cleaned for decades and the knowledge that at the break of dawn, not so far away, we would have to brave the freeze once more, making our way through the mercilessly glacial town to the 18th centur y church of the Transfiguration for the Christmas liturgy, had mademeinordinatelysleepy

I was only dimly aware of playing a traditional children’s Christmas game of lining up walnutsandthenflickingothernutsatthemin order to dislodge them. My vision was blurry, my aim lamentable For a person that lacked the rudiments of teeth, Vavo Makhi was not only adept at hitting the walnuts but cracking them open and eating them as well, cackling with glee as she did so. The fire seemed a darker, blacker shade of yellow now and in my

delirium, I was certain that I was a baby in a cradle, surrounded by burning yew branches, witnessing Mandrakoukos emerging from the flames,aclawedhandreachingforme…

“Άϊντε μάνα μ' σήκω” came Vavo Makhi’s voice. It was the cold and her icy grip upon my shoulder that roused me from my torpor In her other hand she held a small glass of tsipouro. “Drink it up your nose,” she urged. “Otherwise you will never get your nose to stop running. Now take yourself off to church, my son. The Saviour of the world is born. Χρόνια πολλά. God bless you a thousand times.Nowgo!”

*) Dean Kalimniou (Kostas Kalymnios) is an attorney, poet, author and journalist based in Melbourne Australia. He has published 7 poetry collections in Greek and has recently released his bi-lingual children’s book: “Soumela and the Magic Kemenche ” He is also the Secretary of the PanepiroticFederationofAustralia.

“How come there aren’t any female kalikantzaroi, Vavo?” her grandson sniggered “Don’tthemengetlonely?”

Argyrokastro, Northern Epirus, Albania

by Athena Efter

Getting into the Heart of Theater with Ioanna Katsarou

Actor, director, writer, and theater educator Ioanna Katsarou presented her play Raving Reason in early December, for one weekend only, as part of the Rough Draft Festival of the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center The play draws inspiration from Euripides’ The Bacchae and was an idea that was conceived and developed by Ioanna who collaborated with award-winning Greek playwright, Penny Fylaktaki, who wrote the play. Raving Reason is a fascinating exploration into the extreme forces of human nature – the sensual, instinctual world versus the world of reason and rationality. Ioanna brought us a beautifully composed play with subtle projections of multimedia expression, where she, as the director, brings us deep into that world of extremity, where the influence of technology is portrayed as having a profound and invariable affect on our human nature, alienating us from our natural world, suppressing our intuition and feeling, and funneling it into a rigid and rational sphere of existence

The characters are faced with an inner struggle and conflict. The main cast of characters is centered around a scientific researcher Harmony Hunt, portrayed by

Anthoula Katsimatides, Luna Hunt, Harmony’s daughter portrayed by Rebecca Wood, and Evan Hunt, Harmony’s rational minded father, played by Demetri Bonaros who can be seen as a metaphor for Pentheus in the story of The Baccahae. Along comes the Dionysian element, as projected through Luke Wilcox in the character of Mike, Luna’s boyfriend, an almost cult-like figure, drawing her into his irrational world of sensuality and Bacchanalian pleasure to shake up the structure that Harmony and her father Evan work so h a r d t o d e f y . A d d i t i o n a l performances include Tiresia, portrayed by Chrysi Sylaidi and Aisymnetes by Isaias Badilla.

Ioanna is a graduate of the National Theater of Northern Greece. Though she didn’t grow up in a theatrical

Greta SamsaAktis Aeliou theater, Greece

family, or a family that had any real interest in the arts, Ioanna’s passion for theater began at the age of 16, when her high school history teacher invited her to see the Killing Game by Ionesco This experience was an eye-opener for her. Drawn to the power of theater as an art form, she decided to take on the very challenging entrance exam, with intensive training, and was admitted into the National Theater of Northern Greece,withonly10outof 300-400 candidates being accepted annually She’s come a long way since then, as Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Eclipses Group Theater NewYork(EGTNY),a501 (c) (3) non-profit theater company that explores Greek, world classic and modern plays with the goal of presenting them to A m e r i c a n a n d international audiences through collaborations with universities, schools, andotherinstitutions.

Notable directorial works include Hercules: In Search of A Hero, a play that challenges the concept of traditional heroism, Shelter in Love, which explores the affects of social isolation on love and creativity, and Perspectives of War: Ancient Greek Texts in Dialogue with the Modern World, a performance/worksh op that was presented as part of the Open Street program in Astor ia, Q ue ens S e l e c t i o n s f r o m a n c i e n t G r e e k tragedies, like The Trojan Women, and e p i c h i s t o r i c a l narratives, like The Iliad, were presented in an outdoor space In 2018, her theater company, Eclipses Group Theater NY, collaborated with the Greek Play Project, to bring a series of staged modern Greek play readings in English translation to New York in an effort to promote modern Greek theater and playwrights With sponsorship from the Hellenic ministry of Culture and Sports, and undertheauspicesoftheConsulateGeneral of Greece in NY, the Alexander S Onassis Program in Hellenic Studies at NYU, and The National Theater of Greece, The Greek Play Project NY was established for a three-year consecutive run where Ioanna directed In Chorus, a play written by Dimitris Dimitraidis, recipient of the Greek National LiteratureAwardin2003.

Ioanna is more than just a director, merely directing actors. She sets a scene of poetic imagery, imagination, and realism that inspires you to think and question tradition She is exploratory and often experimental, but not for the sake of being different or experimental She explores her material with true purpose to bring a message to the forefront, whether its to challenge traditional notions or to reinterpret classical themesinamoderncontext.

For Ioanna, working with talented actors with whom she has forged relationships over the years, remain at the helm of her artistic vison. For her, theater is where the true core of acting exists. There is an energy and holistic experience that can’t be replaced by cinema, where you can do several “takes” to get it right. No one is yelling out the cues “action or cut”, or editing a performance in real time, as would happen in the world of movies and cinema. What you see is what you get right in front of you in seamless fluidity. In theater, you only get one shot for the magic to happen.

For Ioanna, connections with the actors are important-connecting them with the material before themandtheirexperienceon stage. She is a big fan of ensemble work, and using the body to express the characters’ emotions and feelings. The actors are the main vessel of that expression.

Ioanna and her company Eclipses Group Theater NY have received numerous grants awards from the Queens Council on the Arts

and other institutions. She is also a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab (2017) and has worked with the American Academy of Dramatic Arts as a theater director in 2020. She was also Co-Founder of the “Aktis Aeliou”Art Theater in Thessaliniki, Greece, which was awarded Best Regional Theater in Greece in 2006 by The Greek Theater Critics Association. She has worked as both a director and actor with several cultural organizations, theater companies and festivals including La MaMa, The Cell Theater, the National Theater of Greece, The Classic Stage Company, the Greek Cultural Center, The National Hellenic Museum in Chicago, and the New Theater of Thessaloniki Her work has been presented globally in theUS, Greece, Canada, andEgypt. In addition to her work as a director, Ioanna has conducted various workshops on Ancient Greek tragedy, acting, and other forms of dramaturgy

We look forward to seeing more of Ioanna’s workasshecontinuestobringusatotaleclipse of the art – the art of theater - which remains at theheartofhersoul

Hercules in Search of a Hero

Greek Play Project NY-New York University

Alexandra Skendrou

International Cairo Festival - Privatopia -LaGuardia Performing Arts Center

Workshop - the use of mask in Ancient Greek Theater-La Guardia College

Whenthethrone istoobig fortheking...

Yes, dear comrades (the Russian term товарищ comrade, preexisted Communism) maybe the time is approaching for me to step down. For some time now the crown has been too heavy to bear, maybe that's why I'm constantly overweight despite my relentless diets! The question is who's insane enough to succeed me? Our Archbishop –Editor in Grief Dimitri Michalakis prefers to lead spiritually, he has no interest in wordly matters. So there goes my hope for a coup that wouldforcemetoabdicate!Whoknows,timewilltellandI remain hopeful. Maybe CIA or another foreign secret entity will think of something... For now I'm still in power, against my will, and on behalf of our Royal NEO Housemagazine, I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a joyful NEO year, full of health and happiness because you can'thaveonewithouttheother,canyou?

Special thanks to the multitude of friends and supporters, and the new ones of course, who made this issue remarkably special with ads and holiday messages. We are humbled and grateful, your help means a lot in symbolic and very practical ways. To maintain this project printed and with the quality you have been used to, it has become a very expensive undertaking. But we are not alone, we have you and together we shall overcome all obstacles! (Those who were asked and didn't respond, my curse is that your latestIphonemodeldiesduringatripsomewhere...lol)

Enjoy this beautiful issue, in moderation, never when drivingordiving...

nd HellenicLawyersAssociationHolds32 AnnualGala

I s a b e l A l e x i a d e s , C o l u m b i a L a w School, Maria Budis, St. John’s University School of Law, Nicolette Gasparis, Hofstra University, Konstantina Katsimeni, Columbia Law School, Fotini Mamos, St. John’s University School of Law, Alexis Piperis, New York Law School, Konstantine Tettonis, New York Law School, John Tsimis, Fordham Universit y S cho ol of L aw, Io annis Vandris, Georgetown University Law Center, Spiridoula Zolotas, Elisabeth Haub SchoolofLawatPaceUniversity

On the evening of November 4th, 2022, the Hellenic Lawyers Association hosted its 32nd Annual Scholarship Dinner Gala in the Grand Ballroom of the historic Pierre Hotel on 5th AvenueinNewYorkCity.

Hellenism. The evening’s Honoree was Endy Zemenides, who was introduced by Her Excellency, Alexandra Papadopoulou, Ambassador of Greece to the United States. Endy serves as Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) The HLA recognized Christina Hioureas, as Attorney of the Year. Ms. Hioureas is a Partner in International

President

N.

stated: “It is an

to have been

the

Our members are successful and impactful They serve in our Judiciary, are elected to public office, work in large multinational law firms, non-profit organizations, and small law practices.Theorganizationnotonlyservesthe needs of its members and law students, but also the Hellenic community and community at large.” Mr. Zapantis, who is an NYC based attorney, is an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, is a Director at the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce (HACC), and a New Leader of The Hellenic Initiative (THI).

It was the first in-person Gala, following a 2yearpauseduetotheCovidPandemicandwas the organization’s most successful Gala to date The evening’s program began with outgoing President, Michael Tiliakos introducing and welcoming the dignitaries, honorees, and guests in attendance The invocation was made by Chancellor, Rev Archimandrite Nektarios Papazafiropoulos and proclamations were presented by NYS Senator Andrew Gounardes. George N. Zapantis, was inducted as President, with the oath administered by The Honorable Madeline Singas, Associate Judge of the NYS Court of Appeals. Judge Singas also inducted the HLA’s new Officers and Board of Directors.

The Hellenic Lawyers Association honored three of their members for their contributions and achievements to the Profession and to

Litigation & Arbitration at Foley Hoag LLP and is Chair of the firm’s United Nations P r a c t i c e G r o u p T h e H L A’s Professional Achievement Award was conferred to attorney, Steve Argeris. Mr. Argeris is an attorney at Hogan Lovells, LLP where he practices in the area of Sports law, having worked on the highest-priced deals in the history oftheNFLandotherfranchises.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the law student scholarships presented by First Vice President, John Zervopoulos, and Secretary, Christina Gotsis to ten (10) deserving law students from eight (8) lawschools. therecipientswere:

The HLA is planning lectures, CLEs, and collaborative events with other organizations for 2023. For further information, please visit HLANY.org.

George

Zapantis

immense honor

inducted as Presidentof

HellenicLawyersAssociation.

PHOTO: HLA

HLA President, George N. Zapantis, Honorees: Steve Argeris, Christina Hioureas, Endy Zemenides, Her Excellency Greek Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou, and Past President, Michael Tiliakos

HLA Officers and Board (partial) after being Sworn-In by the Honorable Madeline Singas, Associate Judge of the NYS Court of Appeals

HLA President, George N. Zapantis being Sworn-In by the Honorable Madeline Singas

Scholarship Recipients and Scholarship Sponsors

Traditional Greek Dancing and Revelry following Dinner