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Students receive firsthand foreign policy experience about the region from experts
WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute Foundation (AHIF) College Student Foreign Policy Trip to Greece and Cyprus begins its thirteenth year as students from across the United States gathered for briefings in Washington, June 22 to 24, 2021, prior to departing for Cyprus. The two-week program concludes July 9, 2021, when the students return from Athens.
“We are excited for the traditional return of our college student foreign policy trip for a thirteenth year as we slowly return to normal as we begin to put the pandemic behind us,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said. “The AHI Foundation is proud once again to present this invaluable opportunity for the community’s next generation of leaders. The 2021 program promises to be beneficial for our participants as they are eager to learn about the foreign policy issues that are important to the Greek American community and United States interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. With developments in the region occurring at a rapid pace, they will be immersed from the get-go, starting with briefings in Washington to high-level meetings with government officials abroad.”
On June 22, the students assembled at AHI’s Hellenic House for a briefing by AHI President Nick Larigakis before enjoying a reception.
On June 23, the students were briefed by diplomats representing Greece and Cyprus. At the Embassy of Greece, Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou greeted the students and provided a briefing. At the Embassy of Cyprus, Deputy Chief of Mission Maria Savvidou Panayiotou and Congressional Liaison George Loizou briefed the students. They also learned more about the role of diplomacy with presentations by former American Ambassador to Greece Tom Miller and former American Ambassador to Qatar Patrick Theros.
On June 24, the participants will learn about the latest developments on Capitol Hill pertaining to Greek American issues from the staffs of the co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues. Elizabeth Hittos, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Eric May, legislative director for Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), will meet with the students. They will also receive a briefing from State Department officials who work day-to-day on Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey issues from Ross Johnston, Greece desk officer, and Isabelle Chan, Cyprus desk officer. In the afternoon, the students will learn about the important role the media plays during a presentation by Paul Glastris, editor, Washington Monthly, and gain further insight on foreign policy trends from Washington Insider, John Sitilides, principal, Trilogy Advisors.
During the two-week program in Greece and Cyprus, the students will receive firsthand experience about the foreign policy issues affecting Greece and Cyprus, their relations with the U.S., and the interests of the U.S. in the region. There will be meetings or briefings with American embassies, officials from various ministries of each country, including Foreign Affairs and Defense; military officers and parliament members, religious leaders, think-tank organizations, and members of academia and the private sector. In Greece, the students will also take a daytrip to visit Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Crete, where they will tour the NATO Missile Firing Installation (NAMFI) and NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center (NMIOTC), as well as Salamis Naval Base, and receive briefings.