The AHEPAN - July 2011 - 6

AhepA FAmily News

AHEPA Honors America’s Fallen Heroes
A proud tradition continued on Memorial Day 2011 when the AHEPA leadership paid their respects on behalf of the Greek-American community to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom, democracy, and liberty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Since 1924 Ahepans have returned annually to Arlington for this memorial. Supreme President Nicholas A. Karacostas, accompanied by Veterans Supreme Secretary Anthony Kouzounis, Supreme Treasurer Col. Nicholas P. Vamvakias (ret.), and Supreme Governor Region 2 Dr. Pete Nickolas, all participated at the wreath laying ceremony. An Honor Guard Specialist assisted them. “It is a unique and powerfully moving experience,” said Karacostas,. “It is especially meaningful to perform this ceremony at this time in our nation’s history when our brave men and women are in harm’s way. This is one of the greatest honors anyone can perform and a small way of expressing our community’s Supreme Secretary Kouzounis, Supreme Treasurer Col. Vamvakias (ret.), and Supreme Governor Dr. Nickolas joined gratitude to our fallen heroes.” Supreme President Karacostas to lay a wreath at the Tomb of On Saturday, May 28, the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Ahepans from the Midsince 1949. (See Chapter News, Page 13). Atlantic Region, led by AHEPA Chapter 31, “I commend our Brothers for their careWashington, DC, and Col Peter N. Derzis fully detailed effort to properly honor and Chapter 438, Arlington, Va., gathered to remember the memory of those brave souls memorialize those identified as Greekof our community who sacrificed so much for Americans or Greek Orthodox who are buried freedom,” said Karacostas. at Arlington National Cemetery. According to organizers, there are roughly 660 gravesites at which Ahepans present a wreath of artificial flowers and pause in remembrance of those who perished for In May, AHEPA strongly condemned two blatant and our nation. This ceremony egregious acts of desecration of religious sites. has been performed annually On May 2, 2011, the Chapel of Saint Thekla, a 200year-old church located in the village of Vokolida in Turkish-occupied Cyprus, was demolished. This act was committed in the occupied area, which is under the control of Turkish troops and the illegal Turkish Cypriot regime. The U.S. Commission on International Religious in Toronto. Among the many accomFreedom (USCIRF) expressed concern over the church’s plishments of the AHEPA Family of demolition in a May 12, 2011 statement and called for Canada include the recent fulfillment the church to be rebuilt. The USCIRF statement also cites of a $250,000 pledge to the Shriners recent violations of religious freedom in occupied Cyprus Hospital for Children. In April, AHEPA that includes the prohibition to perform Easter Liturgy and Canada kept the dialogue between the requirement to submit applications to perform Divine Greek and Jewish communities going Liturgies. Moreover, AHEPA applauded a May 26, 2011 by hosting a conference on the emergjoint congressional letter from Congressmen Gus Bilirakis ing relations between Greece and Israel. (R-FL) and John Sarbanes (D-MD) to government officials In 2003, The Canada Post Corporation that formally documented the incident. issued a commemorative postage stamp in honor of AHEPA’s 75-year Arson Attack upon Synagogue in Corfu history in Canada. On May 3, 2011, extremists carried out an arson “We are proud of the charitable attack upon a synagogue on Corfu. The anti-Semitic and philanthropic work of the AHEPA attack upon the Jewish community in Corfu included the family of Canada,” said Karacostas. vandalism of the community’s local offices. At least 30 “We congratulate them on this treceremonial books were damaged in the blaze, according mendous honor. We are confident Nick to the World Jewish Congress (WJC). The WJC, Greek govwill be an outstanding representative ernment, and Central Board of Jewish Communities also of the Greek Canadian community, and condemned the attack. he will be an asset to the delegation.”

AHEPA Condemns Desecration of Religious Sites

Canadian President Joins Prime Minister on Greece Trip
The Right Honorable Stephen Harper, prime minister of Canada, invited AHEPA Canadian President Nick Aroutzidis to participate on his official delegation to the Hellenic Republic on May 28 and 29, 2011, announced Supreme President Nicholas A. Karacostas. Aroutzidis accepted Prime Minister Harper’s invitation. “This is the first time an AHEPA Canadian President was asked to participate on such a delegation,” Aroutzidis said. “It is a great honor for AHEPA Canada, and for me personally, to participate. The invitation is a testament to the myriad of contributions the AHEPA family in Canada makes to our communities on a consistent basis.” AHEPA Canada was organized in 1928 with its first chapter chartered

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The AHEPAN - July 2011

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