No. 9

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The American Hellenic Institute is an independent non-profit Greek American public policy center and think tank that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

For additional information, please contact us at (202) 785-8430 or [email protected]. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org.

No. 8

WASHINGTON—Former Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the United States Alexandros P. Mallias paid tribute to the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) in a January 13, 2024, opinion piece published in Ekathimerini.

Ambassador Mallias wrote: “The Washington-based institution has been at the forefront of promoting Hellenism-related issues for 50 years. AHI is a part of a 50-year-old tradition that unites the Greek and Cypriot communities in the United States.”

The ambassador explains AHI’s efforts to brief important policymakers and key audiences in Washington DC policy circles on the policy topics vital to the Greek American community. He concluded, “As I used to say while in Washington, if AHI didn’t exist, we should have invented it.”

“We sincerely appreciate Ambassador Mallias’ tribute to AHI,” AHI President Nick Larigakismsaid. “It is especially meaningful to receive such a tribute from a highly regarded former diplomat who has served Greece in many important missions throughout the world. We enjoyed working with him during his post in Washington, and we value his participation at our policy events.”

Ambassador Mallas recently served as a panelist at AHI’s Athens presentation that examined the role of Greek American organizations in advancing U.S.-Greece relations held December 2023. He served as ambassador to the United States between 2005 and 2009.

• Read Ambassador Mallias’ opinion piece

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The American Hellenic Institute is an independent non-profit Greek American public policy center and think tank that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

For additional information, please contact us at (561) 529-0306 or [email protected]. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org.

No. 7

WASHINGTON - AHI applauds Hellenic Caucus members Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL | Hellenic Caucus Co-Chair), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH | Hellenic Caucus Co-Chair), Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) for sending a letter to President Biden which urges him to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s invasion and occupation of the Republic of Cyprus.

The letter highlights the history of support President Biden has given over his career to seeking reunification of the island of Cyprus, while also pushing him to take further steps as president of the United States to address this critically important issue.

The letter also states steps taken to improve bilateral relations between the United States and the Republic of Cyprus, and additional steps which could be taken to further elevate bilateral relations.

The first of such steps was a request that President Biden invite the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, to the White House for an official state visit. This would both bolster the relationship between two countries and send a message to the world that the U.S. will continue to preserve and protect democratic liberties.

"For decades, President Biden has been a strong advocate for a Cyprus whole, free, and at peace. As President, he is in a unique position to make Cyprus a higher policy priority in American foreign policy, as he stated to AHI during his time in the U.S. Senate," President Nick Larigakis said. "That step can be taken by extending an invitation to meet with President Christodoulides at the White House to mark the 50th anniversary of Turkey's brutal illegal invasion of Cyprus."

In 1989, then-U.S. Senator Biden wrote to then-AHI Chairman Dr. Dean Loomis:

“… we must urge the new Administration [President George H.W. Bush] to make Cyprus a higher policy priority in American foreign policy … We cannot lose sight of the fact that the rights of Greek Cypriots have been trampled upon, and we must ensure that their claims to ancestral land and property seized during the 1974 invasion are not compromised. Finally, we must send a signal to Turkey that until it has removed every last soldier from Cyprus, it will never be recognized as a full member of the international community.”

Read the letter here.

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The American Hellenic Institute is an independent non-profit Greek American public policy center and think tank that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

For additional information, please contact us at (561) 529-0306 or [email protected]. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org.

No. 6

WASHINGTON, DC - As his four-year term as Greece’s top military official comes to a close this month, Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (HNDGS) General Konstantinos Floros commended AHI’s role to strengthen relations between countries and to promote the importance of the Eastern Mediterranean in a January 11, 2024, letter to commemorate AHI’s 50th anniversary.

General Floros wrote to President Nick Larigakis: “The American Hellenic Institute has played a critical role in strengthening relations between Greece, Cyprus, and the United States. AHI’s professional staff works actively to promote the geostrategic importance of the Eastern Mediterranean to U.S. policy makers and to highlight the exceptional role that Greece plays in the region to ensure peace and stability.”

General Floros also reflected on the excellent working relationship and cooperation he had with President Larigakis as well as noting the importance of speaking with AHI Foundation Foreign Policy Trip students.

“General Floros has been an exceptional friend to AHI, and it was a pleasure to collaborate with him and his team over the last four years,” Larigakis said. “We thank him for his impeccable dedicated service to Greece in such a vital role and wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Read General Floros’ letter here.

_____________________________________________________________________________

The American Hellenic Institute is an independent non-profit Greek American public policy center and think tank that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

For additional information, please contact us at (561) 529-0306 or [email protected]. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org.