CHICAGO – The Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) announced a $1 million grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). The grant will endow HALC’s Leadership 2030 Fellowship Program, in honor of the late Nikos Mouyiaris. The program will be renamed the Nikos Mouyiaris Leadership 2030 Fellowship Program, supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
The Nikos Mouyiaris Leadership 2030 Fellowship Program is an intensive two-year fellowship program in which young Hellenes have an opportunity to dramatically improve their knowledge and skill base, receive mentorship to further their personal development and civic engagement, and begin exercising leadership now.
“Nikos Mouyiaris deeply believed that the biggest challenges both Hellenism and humanity face can be solved with better leadership,” said Endy Zemenides, Executive Director of HALC. “Nikos founded HALC with the express purpose of cultivating such leadership. It is our honor to continue this mission in collaboration with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the gold standard among foundations in the Hellenic world.”
“The Stavros Niarchos Foundation is proud to honor the legacy of Nikos Mouyiaris for his extraordinary contributions to Hellenism and to the Greek-American community in particular. Nikos understood better than most the fact that the Greek-American community has reached a critical inflection point, and he truly believed in the ability of its youth, empowered by the proper preparation, to chart its trajectory from here,” said Andreas Dracopoulos, SNF Co-President. “The real tribute to his legacy, consequently, will be all that these young leaders achieve and all the good they do in the years and decades to come.”
“Our initial class of 2030 Fellows – based in Chicago – has exceeded all expectations,” according to Georgia Logothetis, HALC Managing Director and Director of the Nikos Mouyiaris Leadership 2030 Fellowship Program. “They have both learned and led. Our community’s political advocacy, public education, and networking infrastructure is already stronger because of their energy and leadership. We are excited to welcome the new class based in New York.”
The biographies of the Nikos Mouyiaris Leadership 2030 Fellows and more information on the program can be found at www.hellenicleaders.com/2030.
About HALC
The Hellenic American Leadership Council is a nationwide network composed of tens of thousands of Hellenes and Philhellenes. HALC cultivates the next generation of Greek American leaders by engaging in a national citizen education effort and leadership training curriculum and is committed to civic activism on issues of concern to the Hellenic American community and on issues of democracy and human rights in the United States and abroad. Learn more at hellenicleaders.com and follow @HellenicLeaders for updates.
About the Stavros Niarchos Foundation
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is one of the world’s leading private, international philanthropic organizations, making grants in the areas of arts and culture, education, health and sports, and social welfare. Since 1996, the Foundation has committed more than $2.8 billion through more than 4,400 grants to nonprofit organizations in 124 nations around the world.
The SNF funds organizations and projects worldwide that aim to achieve a broad, lasting, and positive impact for society at large and exhibit strong leadership and sound management. The Foundation also supports projects that facilitate the formation of public-private partnerships as an effective means for serving public welfare.
NEW YORK – Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan) and State Senator Michael Gianaris were joined by renowned award-winning actress and lifelong New Yorker Edie Falco at a press conference on April 26 in support of A.6298/S.4234, legislation to prohibit the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits from pet mills in pet stores across New York State.
Falco, who is the proud parent of a rescue dog named Sami, has been recognized by the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) for her work to protect animals and end the abuses at puppy mills.
The legislation will allow pet stores to make space available to shelters and rescues to feature animals that are available for adoption.
“We must end the pet mill-to pet store pipeline. Ending the sale of pet store animals will help to end the pet mill industry that supplies the stores,” said Assemblymember Rosenthal. “Shelters and rescues statewide are bursting at the seams with healthy animals in need of ‘fur-ever’ homes, there is no reason for New Yorkers to spend thousands on ailment-ridden pets.”
“With so many good animals in need of homes, there is no need for puppy mills to supply pet stores,” said Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris. “Our four-legged companions should be treated with respect, not like commodities.”
Many of the animals available for sale in pet stores across the country and in New York come from dog, cat and bunny mills. The animals kept in the mills are subject to horrific conditions: Many are locked in filthy cages that are too small to accommodate them; they do not have regular access to food or clean water and are denied routine medical care; they are bred repeatedly, forced to churn out litter after litter for profit.
The offspring from mill animals are often saddled with a host of congenital issues. These animals are the cute kittens, puppies, and bunnies one finds in the pet store. Unsuspecting customers take them home and fall in love with them only to find that they are sick and in need of expensive veterinary care.
Commercial pet breeders and stores are regulated under the Animal Welfare Act by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). For years, advocates have pushed the USDA for a more robust inspection and enforcement regime. Instead, a recent investigation by the Humane Society of the United States revealed that under the Trump administration, USDA inspectors documented an astounding 60% fewer violations at facilities that house animals in 2018 in comparison to 2017. In addition, the USDA is issuing fewer serious violations that would ordinarily trigger swift follow-up action by the agency.
NYS Senator Michael Gianaris, Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, and actress Edie Falco with a furry friend. Photo: Courtesy of Sen. Gianaris
“Time after time, the pet industry has demonstrated that it is not interested in ensuring the welfare of the dogs it churns out, nor is it interested in transparency or public accountability,” said Bill Ketzer, senior director of state legislation for the ASPCA, Northeast region. “These badly-regulated commercial dog breeders have only one goal: breed the highest volume of puppies possible at the lowest cost for the retailer. In turn, pet stores do everything in their power to sell these dogs, conveniently excluding well-documented health and behavior risks in their pitch to buyers who believe they are going home with a healthy, well-bred puppy. We are grateful that Senator Gianaris and Assemblymember Rosenthal are moving the needle forward with this bill to protect pets and consumers, and we thank Edie Falco for speaking up for animals to support this lifesaving legislation.”
“We applaud Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal and Senator Michael Gianaris for taking a strong stand against puppy mill cruelty with the introduction of this legislation,” said Brian Shapiro, New York senior state director for the Humane Society of the United States. “New York will become a more humane state when mass produced puppies, kittens and bunnies can no longer be sold in pet stores.”
“The public is disgusted by the reality of puppy mills and the predatory practices of the retailers it supports,” said Libby Post, executive director of the New York State Animal Protection Federation. “The Federation is pleased to support this measure, and work with our animal welfare partners statewide to fight animal homelessness and help end the cycle of misery of mill-owned breeding dogs.”
According to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the state agency tasked with regulating pet dealers like pet stores, there are 80 pet stores registered to do business throughout the state, and New York State ranks at the top of the list of states with the most pet stores in the country.
New York State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris with a furry friend. Photo: Courtesy of Sen. Gianaris
Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta offered an interview, or rather a theological and spiritual conversation, to The National Herald explaining and meditating on the sacred events of Holy Week and the Resurrection. Our conversation started with the simple question of how he planned to celebrate Holy Week and Pascha this year, and he replied by saying, “if one were to interpret this question in a secular way of thinking, one could wonder whether this Holy Week and Easter is going to be like years past, or if something different will happen. Nevertheless, the way that our Orthodox Tradition urges us to receive this blessed period of the year is deeper and esoteric. The purpose of Great Lent is to prepare us for Holy Week; the purpose of Holy Week is to commemorate the Passion of our Lord; and the purpose of commemorating our Lord’s Crucifixion, death, and burial is to prepare us so that we will be able to participate in His Resurrection and the New Creation it brings.
In other words, the way which leads to the light of the Resurrection goes through the hard, uphill path of Golgotha, and the way which leads to eternal life passes through the death of our old sinful existence. We cannot have the one without the other. Forgive me for making this comment, but we have to be honest with ourselves at this point. As Orthodox, we often like to quote the Fathers, or the hymns of the Church, and refer to the ‘Eighth Day of Creation’ or the ‘New Creation’, but somehow, we fail to mention the spiritual exercise (άσκηση) which we ought to practice. It would not be an exaggeration to say that we are always very eager to enjoy the benefits of work we have not done, or to reap the fruits of a seed we have not planted. For the upcoming Holy Week, I am planning not to spend much time dealing with administrative affairs, so that I will have the opportunity to get the most out of the Church Services and the spiritual uplift which this period can grant to the human soul.
TNH: How many communities are you going to visit?
Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta in a parish archpastoral visit of the Metropolis of Atlanta.(Photo: Holy Trinity Cathedral Charlotte, NC)
Metropolitan Alexios: Would it sound like a cliché to say that it is not the quantity but the quality that matters? People within my Metropolis often call me “the flying Bishop”, as they see me always travelling from city to city and state to state, as I strive to visit as many parishes and monasteries as I can. Over the years, I have experienced, and I keep experiencing, the many and various needs that a Church community might have. After all, the so-called flock of the Church is not an abstract collection, but actual people, with certain needs and certain challenges. My ministry as their spiritual father and overseer (επίσκοπος) is to be close to them, and to provide guidance and to support them. Accordingly, I might spend more time with one community over another, always depending on their needs and challenges.
That said, this year, by God’s Grace, the Archdiocese has granted to us Bishop Sevastianos, who, as an Auxiliary Bishop, also travels constantly and enhances the ministry of our Metropolis. So, with no exaggeration at all, we can say that in the Metropolis of Atlanta the number of parishes and Monasteries scheduled for Episcopal visits during Holy Week will be doubled.
TNH: Do you visit different communities every year?
Metr. Alexios: I usually travel and visit different communities on the days of Holy Week up to Holy Thursday. On Holy Friday until Easter Sunday (Easter Vigil and Agape Service), I return to the Cathedral Community in Atlanta. This constitutes only a personal tradition of mine, not the rule, which means that in some past years I have visited other communities and celebrated Easter with them. For this year, His Grace Bishop Sevastianos is going to travel and visit our communities in Florida, whereas I will travel and visit the communities in the Carolinas and I will return to Atlanta for Easter.
TNH: Do young people participate in the Church Services?
Metr. Alexios: This question, I assume, is not only about Holy Week services, but the entire year. Many things could be said or argued about here. On the one hand the statistics on the percentage of young people that walk away from the Church are terrifying, but on the other we have to acknowledge that there is a great effort and great progress being made by priests, youth directors, Sunday School teachers, and all kinds of volunteers in order to confront this great challenge. As I said, many things could be said, but let us save it for another discussion, which I would love to have with you on this subject.
Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta at the First Resurrection on Great Saturday morning of 2018 at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Charlotte, NC. Shown are Fr. Vasileios Tsourlis, Dean of the Cathedral, and Deacon Steven Potter. (Photo: Holy Trinity Cathedral Charlotte, NC)
Holy Week is usually a period during which young people attend Church Services. I will not say that this constitutes an exception from the aforementioned discouraging statistics. I will only say that there is hope. Young people do attend Church Services during Holy Week more frequently and meticulously than the rest of the liturgical year. Therefore, this could be a great message for us, the Church leaders, to figure out how our Church can be more inviting and appealing for young people to come and attend all year long. Let us always keep in mind that it is the Holy Spirit Who sustains and enhances the Church, and thus we should never see the glass as half empty, but always as half full.
TNH: What do young people ask regarding Holy Week, as well as the Orthodox Church in general?
Metr. Alexios: “O tempore, O mores” (i.e. O, the times! O the customs!). This line is from a speech of the Roman orator Cicero. He used these words in one of his speeches to weep over the immorality of Rome. It is so sad to see that his words have become contemporary once again. Unfortunately, the traditional way of living in both Greek, as well as in American society, where the Church held a significant role in our lives, belongs to the past. Nowadays, our youth is taught at schools, colleges, and universities that everything related to God or religion is anachronistic. The contemporary honnete homme – cultivated man – is the one who has outsmarted God and lives his life in an absolutely secular way. This being the case, we cannot expect youngsters to keep coming to the Church simply because we say so…More than what we say to young people, it matters how much time we spend to listen to what they have to say to us, about their challenges, their hardships. When Christ Himself was challenged with “smart” questions, He outsmarted those who tried to put Him on the spot. But He did not conquer the world because of this. He conquered the world because He loved the world and gave His life for the world’s sake. All the same, following His example, we need to educate our youth and make firm their faith, but mainly and mostly, we need to make our youth understand that the Church is here to love and care for them. If life is like a stormy sea, the Church is like Noah’s Ark, providing a safe shelter for all the faithful.
TNH: What Easter is for you?
Metr. Alexios: The answer to this question can be very predictable. Instead, I would go a step beyond and ask: what can Easter become for us, for each one of us? I believe this is a question that each one of us can answer only on a personal level. From the Tomb of Christ has sprung up life, grace, and forgiveness of sins – it is up to us, however, to choose how hard we will try to reach out for these gifts.
With summer approaching, nothing beats walking in the heat with a pair of Greek sandals and Laiik – in Washington, D.C.’s Dupont Circle – which specializes in them, has a display that makes you feel like you’re in a summer home in Greece.
The store is a minimalist design, with lots of white like Aegean homes. “There’s this Greek minimalism that I think we all wanted to express,” Helene Theros, who co-founded the store with her brother and sister, told The Washingtonian.
“The simplicity of the design enhances the beauty of the materials and the raw ingredients (in our products. We see that when we work on our shoes, but we also want to show it in our pop-ups,” the stores, she said.
The siblings grew up buying sandals on trips to Greece and wanted the same authenticity in their own versions.
With a timeless, yet modern look, the Laiik sandals, handmade exclusively in Greece, offer style and comfort in a variety of colors from vegetable dyes. (Photo by TNH/Eleni Sakellis)Laiik, the new, accessible luxury sandal brand is redefining the classic Hellenic sandal for a new generation of conscientious women. Photo: Anisa Xhomaqi
Two of the leaders of the fight for net neutrality in the United States are Pantelis Michalopoulos, one of the country’s top telecommunications lawyers with the Washington law firm of Steptoe & Johnson, and Georgios Leris, a member of the team.
Born in Athens, Michalopoulos is a third-generation Athenian, who traces his family history to the Ionian island of Zakynthos and the Peloponnese and was graduated from the American College of Greece, Athens Law School and the University of Pennsylvania.
He has represented many giants in the Internet industry as well as public interest advocates, and local governments.
The firm’s team has taken on powerful gatekeepers such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast, which are fighting against net neutrality for financial gain, if not for control of the flow of information as the battle goes on for who will oversee the Internet.
“Thoughtful partnerships and conversations with current, past, and prospective grantees are the heart of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s work,” SNF says in press release.
“The review of new grant requests evolves over the course of months through extensive conversations between Program Officers at the Foundation, our Board of Directors, the prospective grantees, and other external partners. Giving each-and-every one of these conversations the time it deserves is critical to our mission.
“SNF is reassessing its internal grant review processes. To ensure that we are able to give each grant request the full care and attention it deserves, we have paused the submission of new requests until the completion of the reassessment. The pause, initially announced through June 30, 2019, will continue at least until September 30, 2019. During the hiatus, SNF is continuing the review of grant requests submitted before the pause to the open application process, and ongoing SNF initiatives are progressing uninterrupted.
“We look forward to accepting new grant requests, engaging with new partners, and reengaging with past partners once we complete the reassessment process. In the meantime, we share our immense appreciation for our grantee partners and the important and impactful work they do every day!”
BOSTON – Parishioners of all ages participated by the hundreds in the Resurrection of Christ at the historic Church of St. George in Lynn, Massachusetts. On Holy Saturday night as early as 11 PM the main nave, the balcony, the narthex, and the sides of the nave were filled by faithful. Entire families with small and older children and teenagers holding white candles in their hands were waiting patiently to receive the Holy Light of Christ from the hands of Protopresbyter George Tsoukalas, presiding priest of the St. George’s parish, while the Chief Cantor Kostas Patayios, with his assistants George Tsonis and George Varoudakis, were chanting the canon known as Kymati thalassis – that refers to Christ as “The One who once buried the pursuing tyrant” – the devil – “under the billows of the sea.”
When Fr. George appeared at the Royal Door and started chanting with his powerful voice, “Come Receive the Light”, the congregants went up to him to light their candles and the nave was filled with light shining on their faces and within their souls.
The Service of the Resurrection was presented by Fr. George Tsoukalas assisted by Fr. Peter Chrysafidis in the narthex as it customary at the parish.
In an interview with The National Herald Fr. George said, “it was very nice and devout throughout Holy Week. We had gotten a little tired but it is a sacred tiredness because it is so nice and satisfying to see the People of God come to church and participate with piety in the Holy Services.”
The Resurrection Service presided by Protopresbyter George Tsoukalas. Shown are Fr. Peter Chrysafidis and altar boys. Photo: TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos
Fr. George, who is completing 53 years in the holy priesthood, said that “every Pascha is a new Pascha.” He added that, “I was remembering those loved ones who have departed from this life. In two weeks we lost very beloved brothers and friends, priests, Fr. Asterios Gerostergios and Fr. Valileios Flionis, who are now in the heavenly kingdom.”
Fr. George also said that, “I remembered nostalgically and thankfully our pioneer Greek immigrants who with hard work and sacrifices without advanced education and without knowledge of Greek established this parish of St. George and of course all our parishes in the United States. They are real heroes.”
Asked about the community’s current situation, he said, “we are more educated but we don’t have the same enthusiasm, nor the same dedication that the pioneering Greek immigrants had. They came here and they found an uncultivated field and they had to cultivate it and they did so. And not only that, but they were thinking about the future of the Church; they built the Theological School, St. Basil’s Academy, and they organized the Archdiocese.”
The faithful are shining from the joy of the Resurrection. Shown on the left is Costas Sideridis. Photo: TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos
Fr. George was asked if he is pained by the current situation of Holy Cross School of Theology and she said, “how can it not pain me? The School is our sweet mother, but unfortunately everything changes with the passing of time. This should never have happened to the School, however, and I hope and pray that it will be restored to its previous status because it was and I believe still is the pride of Hellenism of America and especially of Boston.”
He said about St. George, “thank God the people love their parish. They came for Holy Week, many families with their children. My purpose and my mission always was and still is to serve our people, to embrace them – always with love and with an open heart – whatever the situation is, the other person is a child of God, a creature of God.”
Costas Sideridis, prominent businessman and philanthropist, member of the parish council, Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and member of Leadership 100, told TNH that, “Holy Week went very well here at St. George. We had good turnouts, the weather was good, it was all good.”
Sideridis has been in the parish for 22 years but as he told The National Herald, “my roots are from Constantinople, my father from Chalcedon and my mother from the island of Halki.” He was born in Montreal Canada where his parents first immigrated and in 1985 they came to the United States, to New Jersey. He has studied engineering and economics and has his own company, Ferro-Ceramic Grinding in Wilmington, MA. He is married and has two sons.
In the narthex for the Resurrection Service. Shown from right are Fr. Peter Chrysafidis. chief cantor Kostas Parayios, and cantors George Tsonis and George Varoudakis. Photo: TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos
Fr. Peter Chrysafidis, who assisted Fr. Tsoukalas throughout Holy Week, told TNH that “everything was beautiful and orderly.” Fr. Peter graduated from Holy Cross in 1956 and has served many parishes in the Archdiocese. He blessed the wedding of former Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, who invited him twice to offer prayers in Congress.
Chief Cantor Kostas Parayios told TNH that “everything went well during Holy Week. I had two assistants, George Tsonis, who is going to enter the School of Theology in September, and George Varoudakis.”
Parayios has been chanting since he was a teenager on the island of Samos and has served for decades – since 1970 – at St. George in Lynn. He said, “every time I chant the hymns of Holy Week it is as if I chant them for the first time.”
Parish council members Costas Sideridis on the left and Anastasios Miliotis. Photo: TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos
PISCATAWAY, NJ – His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey presided over the Divine Liturgy, assisted by the presiding priest of the community, Archimandrite Nektarios Cottros and other priests, on April 29, honoring the feast day of St. George at the church of the same name in Piscataway.
Metropolitan Evangelos spoke about the life of St. George and wished the Light of the Resurrection to touch the hearts of all and to flood the lives of people in the hope of life eternal.
Fr. Nektarios Cottros spoke to The National Herald and wished all the best to the many faithful, noting that St. George imitating the passion of the Risen Christ is the glory of the Martyrs and the pride of the saints of our Church.
Parish Council President George Athanasopoulos, invited all the Greek community to visit and get to know the historic church of St. George. “Our community was founded 103 years ago and to date it is one of the largest in New Jersey with hundreds of members. We have our Greek school, Sunday school, youth programs and much more. All together, with love and unity, we work for the good and the progress of our Church,” he said.
St. George Church celebrated its namesake saint in Piscataway. Photo: TNH/Michalis Kakias
The three fathers of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity Panoramatos, who participated in the Divine Liturgy, spoke to TNH, urging the Greek community to continue following the way and the example of Christ and to live the will of God in order not to remain in decay and death, but to live forever with the Risen Christ.
Philoptochos President Eugenia Theokas noted that the society’s members strengthen and support the parishioners who need material and moral assistance and donations are also given to nursing homes, orphanages, hospitals, and other charitable institutions.
George Zalokostas invited everyone to the community’s four-day festival, which will run from May 16-19. “It’s one of the biggest festivals in New Jersey with delicious traditional food and pastries, live music, dancing, games for the little ones and more,” he told TNH.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a celebratory meal was held in the community hall.
Following the Divine Liturgy at St. George Church in Piscataway, a reception was held in the church hall. Photo: TNH/Michalis Kakias
PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Hellenic University Club (HUC) Spring Bash takes place on Friday, May 3 at the beautiful Arts Ballroom, 1324 Locust Street in Philadelphia. There will be live music by the nationally known Seizmos Music, dancing, abundant food, open bar, prizes and a special time for young professionals to attend with reduced pricing.
This is the primary fundraiser for HUC’s Scholarship Fund. Each year, the HUC gives over $50,000 in scholarships to the Greek-American college and graduate student community, with a total of over $700,000 given to date.
For further details visit: hucspringbash.eventbrite.com or hucphiladelphia.org.
For Sponsorship opportunities, please contact Dr. Ellie Kelepouris Tzarnas at 215-260-0590 or Ek375@drexel.edu.
WILLIAMSBURG, VA – Recently selected as Provost of William & Mary University in Williamsburg on April 23, Dr. Peggy Agouris, an award-winning scholar and researcher and dean of the College of Science at George Mason University, spoke with The National Herald in an exclusive interview. Among other things, she noted that Greek scientists abroad are willing to contribute to “the progress of our country,” – Greece – but they encounter “unsurpassed obstacles” to their participation.
Dr. Agouris was particularly open about the phenomenon of Greece’s brain drain, saying that it was largely due to “the country’s unwillingness to constructively exploit the enormous intellectual potential it produces.”
TNH: What does your selection as Provost of such an important university mean for you?
Dr. Peggy Agouris: Of course, I feel joy because I am given the opportunity to lead the academic nucleus of such a historic and distinguished university. My new duties include not only broad management activities but also multifaceted responsibilities for strategic planning, programming development, and learning and research linking in order to maintain the high educational quality of the offered studies. I will also try to support and promote new ideas and interdisciplinary fields, as well as innovative research projects, as openly and globally as possible, and especially with attention to the needs and potential of the University’s significant human resources.
Dr. Peggy Agouris, Provost of William & Mary University. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Peggy Agouris
TNH: Can your success be an example for Greek scientists studying or working abroad?
PA: The overwhelming majority of Greek scholars abroad have already excelled as students and as workers for many years and they are all proud of us. My career so far is not unique or unusual. There are dozens of Greek academics who have occupied the highest positions (presidents, vice-presidents, deans) in the best universities in the world and I especially appreciate that you include me among them. My message to all Greek scientists abroad is simply to continue with enthusiasm the course that has already begun, to remain optimistic and open-minded, and always to be inspired by the better features of our Greekness.
TNH: What can eminent scientists, Greeks abroad, contribute to Greece and the Greek reality?
PA: I am sure that all Greek scientists inside and outside Greece, in addition to our personal contacts, partnerships and initiatives, have the intention and the will to contribute more systematically and in a more organized way to the progress of our country as we have been asked to do. But what we have to ask is whether Greece is willing to accept our contribution, and how…unfortunately the obstacles to our participation in the country’s development remain. A commendable effort that I and many other colleagues are very happy with is the activities of the Authority for the Quality Assurance of University Education (ADIP), which is responsible for the external evaluation of Greek universities. ADIP has established a register of experts (mainly foreign teachers) and establishes committees specific to each scientific field for the purpose of evaluating Greek academic units. This effort, which has been launched for several years, is an excellent example of how Greek scientists from abroad could contribute to the progress of Greece, with the potential to be applied not only to higher education but also to other places. Unfortunately, apart from ADIP, I have not seen any other similar systematic initiative so far.
TNH: What is your view about the infamous brain drain?
PA: The brain drain is a reality that has existed for many years and is not a recent event as it has been wrongly presented. It is due not only to the financial difficulties faced by Greece in recent years but to a large extent to the country’s unwillingness to constructively exploit the enormous intellectual potential it produces. Thus, as a result, the majority of those who have the qualifications and opportunities to leave Greece do so without hesitation, and most of the time their success abroad vindicates them completely. This is a huge loss for Greece with repercussions that have already mortgaged the country’s future for many more years.
TNH: What is your relationship with the Greek community in the United States?
PA: To be honest, I have not developed a special relationship with the organized community of the United States, though I would like it. I have many good friends on a personal level, but when I asked for the help of the Greek Embassy to get informed and to participate more in organized activities, there was no response. I am, however, watching and I am particularly pleased with the successes of the Greek-American community and the remarkable efforts made to preserve the Hellenism of the Greeks living abroad and maintain the connection with the homeland.
Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services/George Mason University
TNH: Could you compare the Greek educational system with the corresponding American one?
PA: The biggest difference I see between the Greek and the American education system is that while in the United State the course of students to universities and the completion of learning is a marathon, in Greece it is a sprint, with the sole purpose of passing the Panhellenic exam that grants admission to universities. In particular, in the United States the choice of school is based on the pupils’ overall (multiannual) performance during their schooling as well as their non-classroom activities (music, sports, volunteering). Thus, universities acquire a complete picture of the student’s personality and students have the ability to build a multifaceted and deeper knowledge. In Greece, on the other hand, the student’s effort focuses on the last grade and the candidate ends up being judged by his performance in 4-5 courses at a specific time. This way of evaluating does not allow Greek universities to admit well-rounded students and is unfair to students who have established a steady and remarkable record in and out of the classroom throughout their schooling.
Dr. Agouris also serves as the director of the Center for Earth Observing and Space Research at George Mason, and is an expert in digital image processing and analysis, remote sensing and geospatial information systems. She was born in Athens and studied at the National Technical University of Athens and Ohio State University. Her family is from Kalavrita on her father’s side and from Lamia and Larissa on her mother’s side. She and husband, Tony, who is a professor at the same university, have a teenaged daughter, Chloe, a high school student. Chloe, though born and raised in the U.S., speaks Greek very well.
On April 14 it was 491 years since Theodoros Griego, a sailor, landed on Florida. He is believed to be the first Greek to set foot on what would become America.
He was part of the expedition of Spanish conquistador Panfilo de Narváez and died along with most of his companions during the trek.
Griego was killed searching for water in a nearby Indian settlement and only four survived to tell the story. A statue was erected in Florida in the city of Tampa in honor of the Greek Conquistador and explorer, the Greek City Times wrote.
Before his death, he helped save the lives of some of his colleagues who were attacked by Apalachee warriors, as he made rafts using liquid from pines, wood and leather. He was born in the Aegean and moved to Spain, where he joined Narvaez’s crew.
Having repeatedly sending F-16 fighter jets into Greek airspace, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pressing for the United States to allow his country to buy F-35’s while going ahead with plans to buy a Russian S-400 missile defense system.
Greek-American and Diaspora groups and Hellenophiles in the Congress, led by New Jersey Democrat Sen. Robert Menendez, want to block the sale of the F-35s critics said could be used against Greece which ironically now has its closest ties ever to Washington.
That came after Prime Minister and Radical Left SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras dropped his anti-American and anti-NATO positions just as he reneged on anti-austerity promises and surrendered to the demands of European creditors to get an 86-billion euro ($96.6 billion) third bailout in the summer of 2015.
Erdogan said the F-35 project would collapse if Turkey did not participate, and that it would be an injustice to exclude his country over its plan to buy the Russian S-400 air defense system, said Reuters, although the US fears the fighter jet design could be compromised by Turkey having both.
President Donald Trump and Erdogan were said to have talked about setting up a working group to discuss whether Turkey could get the jets as the American leader is keen to sell weapons to almost anyone, although US intelligence is reportedly anxious and sanctions on Turkey were on the table if Erdogan persisted.
Turkey and Greece are both members of NATO but the defense alliance said it would refuse to intervene in Turkey’s repeated violations of Greek airspace and also waters by Turkish warships and vessels.
Like other NATO allies of the US, Turkey is both a prospective buyer and a partner in production of the F-35, which has been beset by cost overruns and delays, and entered service in the United States in 2015.
Speaking at a defense industry fair, Erdogan said those trying to exclude Turkey from the F-35 project had not thought the process through, and were ignoring its interests, the news agency added.
“We were surely not going to remain silent against our right to self-defense being disregarded and attempts to hit us where it hurts,” Erdogan said. “This is the kind of process that is behind the S-400 agreement we reached with Russia.”
“Nowadays, we are being subject to a similar injustice – or rather an imposition – on the F-35s … let me be frank: An F-35 project from which Turkey is excluded is bound to collapse completely,” Erdogan said, adding that Turkey was also rapidly working to develop its own air defense systems.
The broadcaster NTV reported that Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin had also discussed the S-400 system and the F-35 program with US National Security Adviser John Bolton, as well as a date for Trump to visit Turkey.
Turkey said earlier it expected Trump to use a waiver to protect it against penalties over its purchase of the S-400s, after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Turkey could could also face retribution for the deal under the US Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CATSAA).
BOSTON – The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) at its meeting April 12, 2019, issued an official Notation for Hellenic College asserting that “the College’s accreditation may be in jeopardy if current conditions continue or worsen with respect to the Commission’s standards on Planning and Evaluation and Institutional Resources.”
The NECHE will be monitoring the School closely in order to assess its situation and decide accordingly.
As The National Herald has been reporting for more than a year now Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology are in dire conditions academically, administrative, and certainly financially. As a result, the president of the institution Fr. Christopher Metropulos was abruptly dismissed two days before Holy Week and was replaced by interim president Metropolitan Methodios of Boston. Fr. Metropulos was even prohibited from participating as a liturgist in Holy Week Services at Holy Cross Chapel. No explanation has been given thus far as to what exactly prompted Fr. Metropulos’ dismissal.
The statement of the New England Commission of Higher Education reads as follows:
“At its meeting April 12, 2019, the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) voted to issue a Notation with respect to Hellenic College, Inc. because the Commission found that the College’s accreditation may be in jeopardy if current conditions continue or worsen with respect to the Commission’s standards on Planning and Evaluation and Institutional Resources.
An institution issued a Notation will be closely monitored by the Commission, including a focused evaluation within two years to assess the institution’s success in addressing the identified concerns.
If the Commission finds the institution has successfully addressed the concerns, it will remove the Notation and specify further monitoring. If the Commission has reason to believe that the institution may or may not meet one or more Standards for Accreditation, the Commission will ask the institution to show cause why it should not be on probation or why its accreditation should not be withdrawn. If the Commission finds that the concerns have not been sufficiently addressed, the Commission may issue a continued Notation.”
His Eminence Metropolitan Methodius of Boston, Interim President of HCHC, commented on the action taken by the Commission. “We want to assure our students, faculty, staff, donors, and our community that our Board of Trustees and administration are working with NECHE to expeditiously remedy the situation to meet NECHE’s standards. Our academic programs and educational commitment remain strong and we look forward to addressing the areas of notation to further strengthen Hellenic College.”
NECHE, formerly operating as the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of NEASC, is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable authority as to the quality of education. The Commission accredits 220 degree-granting institutions in the six New England states and eleven American-style institutions in other countries.
Hellenic College, Inc. was first accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (now NECHE) in 1974. It is a private, independent institution encompassing the undergraduate Hellenic College and the graduate Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.”
BALTIMORE, MD – Marking a milestone in its long-running microloan program, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) announced on May 1 that it has surpassed $25 million in microcredit lending in Bosnia and Herzegovina, reflecting long-term success invigorating small businesses, entrepreneurs, and family farms.
Since 2002, IOCC’s microloans have made credit available to borrowers in rural areas who might otherwise face difficulty obtaining loans. Small amounts—ranging from $200 to $6,000 but averaging $1,300—make for manageable repayments. Many borrowers repay their initial loan and go on to borrow again, building their farms and businesses in stages.
After Yugoslavia’s breakup in the 1990s, unemployment became a major hurdle for many educated and experienced workers. Jobs were difficult to find as the region recovered, making small lending a way for families and individuals to rebuild livelihoods. In 2002, IOCC teamed up with microcredit organization Zdravo, based in Banja Luka, to support recovery. Borrowers are as varied as farmers looking to expand their harvests by building greenhouses to small-business owners and entrepreneurs setting up building a steady income.
“With the help of IOCC’s loan, I was able to start a business, renovate the building, and buy a vehicle for deliveries,” said Dragan (age 50). Trained in catering, he had managed a hotel in Derventa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, before the conflict; afterward short-term jobs and subsistence farming became his new way of life, but Dragan had bigger plans. In 2014, he combined an IOCC microloan with some savings and leased a café. Business has grown, and he hired three employees. Now on his fourth microloan with IOCC, Dragan aims to hire two more workers and expand the venue into a café-pizzeria.
IOCC’s microcredit program in Bosnia and Herzegovina has given over 11,000 families a chance to make their entrepreneurial goals reality, step by step. With an average amount of $1,300 and a repayment rate of 99%, IOCC microloans have strengthened individual enterprises—more than 2,200 new businesses and 6,300 existing businesses—creating over 12,000 sustainable jobs, and strengthening communities.
Those wishing to support IOCC’s work in the Western Balkans and around the world can do so with a financial gift online (iocc.org/donate) or by phone (877.803.4622).
International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is the humanitarian and development agency of the Assembly of Canonical Bishops of the United States of America. Since its inception in 1992, IOCC has provided more than $661 million in humanitarian relief and sustainable development programs in over 60 countries worldwide. Today, IOCC applies its expertise in humanitarian response to human-caused and natural crises in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the United States, offering assistance based solely on need. Learn more at iocc.org and follow IOCC: @IOCCRelief on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
LONG ISLAND CITY – On April 30, New York State Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris heralded a deal reached with Queens Public Library and Citibank to extend the lease of the Court Square Library for an additional seven months past its August deadline. Gianaris pressed Citibank, Savanna Execs to extend the Court Square Library lease into 2020.
“I am glad our voices were heard and this important community asset will remain in place long enough to find a new home,” said Senate Deputy Leader Gianaris. “The Court Square Library plays a critical role for a growing neighborhood and I will do everything I can to ensure its continuing presence in our community.”
The lease extension gives the library the ability to continue operating longer while the Queens Public Library searches for a new home for the branch which serves more than 97,000 customers each year.
LOS ANGELES – Alkiviades (Alki) David, the billionaire of Greek-Cypriot descent, was ordered by a jury to pay $11 million in the sexual harassment and battery verdict handed down on April 26, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Chasity Jones, 42, a former employee said she was fired after she refused to have sex with the executive when she worked for FilmOn.TV Networks, an online television service, and for Hologram USA, which operates a hologram theater in Hollywood.
A member of the Levendis family, David, 51, founded the company Hologram USA which produces hologram images of deceased celebrities including Tupac Shakur and Michael Jackson, among others. The Leventis-David Group made its fortune bottling Coca-Cola and David is also one of the heirs to the fortune.
The Times reported that “during the two-week trial, Jones testified that David inappropriately touched her and showed her a pornographic video on her work computer,” adding that “she also said the defendant brought a male stripper into the workplace to celebrate the birthday of one of his executives” and “she said she found the stripper’s appearance offensive and considered it sexual harassment.”
The jury agreed that Jones, “who was hired in January 2015 and fired in November 2016, was subjected to unwanted sexual harassment and battery,” the Times reported, adding that “she was wrongfully discharged after refusing the executive’s advances,” and “the jury also deemed that workplace management knew or should have known about the harassment and hostile environment but failed to address it.”
David’s attorney, Ellyn Garofalo, released a statement following the verdict, noting that “Mr. David will be filing an appeal to reverse what he believes was an unfair and unjust judgment,” the Times reported.
Earlier in the week, before the verdict was delivered, the dramatic trial had featured an outburst from David during his testimony on April 23. He shouted at Jones’ attorney, Lisa Bloom, and was then led out of the courtroom by a sheriff’s deputy, the Times reported.
NBC4 Los Angeles reported that David shouted, “You are a … liar, you are disgusting,” at Bloom while she was making her presentation in the courtroom.
Following the verdict, Bloom said, “It has been one of the great moments of my life to deliver justice to Chasity Jones, who the jury found was sexually harassed and sexually assaulted by Alki David, and fired from her job for opposing his advances… It took two and a half years for us to get to this point. [This] is a huge verdict for us and for all victims,” the Times reported.
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL – The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago announced on April 30 the selection of Vicki Pappas Karl as its new Executive Director. Karl has more than 30 years of professional experience as an accomplished attorney, business advisor and nonprofit leader. She began her new role on May 1.
The selection of Karl ends a national search for a candidate to help the Metropolis engage in long-term planning, make decisions on an inclusive basis and conduct itself with accountability, transparency and professionalism.
Specifically, Karl will oversee Metropolis operations and manage areas of finance, administration, development, communications and ministries, among others. Among her early responsibilities will be to oversee the conclusion of the Metropolis audit and the release of 2019-2020 Metropolis budget, both of which were delayed due to the need to verify additional data and the unanticipated need to identify additional documents and materials.
“Vicki Pappas Karl is an accomplished professional, a community leader and a servant of God, exactly the kind of person needed to help us continue to fulfill our mission and usher in a new era of growth and change throughout the Metropolis,” said His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael. “Not only will Vicki’s experience, skills and background benefit the Metropolis, but her example of foregoing opportunities in the private sector to serve the Church is an inspiration to women and all Orthodox Christians.”
Karl has served in a number of roles including as Assistant Vice President and Assistant
General Counsel of CNA Insurance Companies, a Partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, and most recently as Chief Legal Counsel for a local Internet startup company. She is a certified mediator and has served as a mentor and a coach to both colleagues and young adults. Karl received her BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan with distinction and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law, Magna Cum Laude. Currently, she is President-Elect of the Hellenic Bar Association and a volunteer lawyer for Hellenic Legal Assistance Services. She also has served as a director and officer of the Hellenic Bar Association.
“It is a tremendous honor to serve the Metropolis of Chicago in this new role. I am deeply humbled and grateful to Metropolitan Nathanael for his confidence and for giving me the special opportunity to serve the Church,” said Karl. “I look forward to working with the clergy and faithful to ensure our parishes grow and remain vital institutions to their communities through the support and service of the Metropolis.”
The position was made possible by a matching grant from the Hellenic Foundation. The screening and interview process was supported by Metropolis Council Member Andrew Limouris and his firm, Medix, an executive talent search and recruitment firm, on a pro bono basis.
About the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago
Tracing its roots back to 1923, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago is the diocese of Greek Orthodox faithful in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin as well as northern Indiana and southeastern Missouri consisting of 58 parishes and two monastic communities. The Metropolis is one of nine regions in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and is presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael. The general offices of the Metropolis are temporarily located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
WASHINGTON, DC – On Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), sponsor of the bipartisan Never Again Education Act, released the following statement:
“Today, on Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, we honor the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. It is in their memory that we say ‘Never Again.’
“Yet, this promise rings hollow as incidents of anti-semitism continue to rise around the country. Just this past Saturday, on the final day of Passover, a gunman entered Chabad of Poway synagogue and killed Lori Gilbert Kaye and injured three others. Six months before, another gunman attacked Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue, killing eleven worshippers and injuring seven more.
“So, to fulfill our solemn promise of Never Again, we must take action. We must make sure our children learn about the Holocaust and the dangers of hate and anti-semitism. This is why I introduced and am working to pass my bipartisan Never Again Education Act, which now has more than 120 co-sponsors, to give our teachers the resources and training they need to teach our children the important lessons of the Holocaust and the consequences of intolerance and hate. Because if we do not learn from history, we are condemned to repeat it.”
MONTREAL, CANADA – On April 30, the Canadian Hellenic Congress called upon Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government to issue a Proclamation to recognize the Genocide of the Hellenes of Pontus, thus honoring the memory of the men, women and children who died.
The Pontic Greek Genocide, together with those of the Armenians and Assyrians, were the first genocides of the 20th century.
Canadian Hellenic Congress President Dr. Theodore Halatsis said, “The Pontic Greek Genocide is one of the darkest moments in mankind’s history and one of the heinous crimes against humanity. This heinous crime was the precursor to the Holocaust committed by the Nazis against Jews, Roma and other peoples during the Second World War.
“We seek the same recognition as the Senate and the House of Commons have afforded to other genocides, including the Armenian Genocide, the Jewish Holocaust, the Rwandan and other genocides.”
This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the systematic extermination of the Greeks of
Pontus, some 353,000 souls perished at the hands of the Ottoman and Kemalist forces.
“We call upon our Prime Minister to use his authority to issue a Proclamation to recognize the Pontic Greek Genocide and to declare May 19th as a national Remembrance Day,” Dr. Halatsis concluded.The Canadian Hellenic Congress is a national democratic communal institution that represents, advances, advocates and promotes the interests and concerns of Canadians of Hellenic descent and Hellenism in general. The Congress is the national voice of Hellenes and their communities and/or organizations across Canada.
BOSTON – Businessman and philanthropist Nick Manolis from Dracut, Massachusetts spent much time preparing the Paschal lamb on Holy Saturday. The National Herald met with him at his restaurant, The Dracut House of Pizza & Seafood, while he was preparing the lamb on the skewer with his son Elias and his friend Charles Kanavos.
Manolis told TNH that, “you can’t have a Greek Orthodox Pascha without the roasted lamb which, as you see, we are preparing today.” He also said that “we have an obligation and a duty to continue the customs and the traditions which we have received from our parents; that is why my son Elias is observing and participates in the preparation process, so that he can continue the tradition.”
When TNH asked him about the secret of a successful Paschal lamb he said, “first of all you have to have love and respect for the tradition. You also have to apply the correct process and to also use the right ingredients. And it is pivotal to properly place the lamb and tie it on the skewer. A lot of attention is needed for the roasting itself, taking care about the duration, and the intensity of the fire.”
Manolis had invited more than thirty friends to enjoy the lamb meal, called in Greek, “ovelias”.
It is reminded that Manolis and his family are the ones who distribute every Thanksgiving thousands of turkey dinners with all the trimmings, providing a decent meal to people in need.
They have established the Manolis Family Foundation, which helps people in need throughout the year, and also provides scholarships to students.
Manolis said that, “of course the reason we do the roasted lamb, the red eggs, the bread and all the sweets is to celebrate the great feast of the Resurrection of Christ which takes place in the Church. All the Holy Services of Holy Week touch my heart.”
Manolis, his family, and many other Greek Orthodox faithful attend the Services at St. George Antiochian Orthodox parish in Lowell despite the fact that there are three Greek Orthodox parishes in Lowell within very short distances from each other. There is also another parish in the nearby town of Dracut, about three miles away.
All his life Manolis was a member and supporter of the Transfiguration parish of Lowell, and a member and also past president of the parish council until the year 2009 when Metropolitan Methodios of Boston dismissed nine PC members. He also summoned them to Spiritual Court because they refused to give a $12,000 raise to the priest at the time who had only been in the parish for six months. Another reason cited for the action was their replying to Methodios’ letter by telling him that he had not shown that he really cared for the parish. With the expulsion of Manolis and the other members of the parish council, a massive exodus of parishioners took place – whole families just departed.
Manolis said, “many of us left, as well our children. They all had participated in Sunday School and the youth organizations, but Methodios expelled their parents and thus the children stopped going to Church. One boy wanted to be a priest, but he is gone.”
Asked whether any attempt was made by Methodios to reach out to those people during the ten years that had passed, he said, “no, nobody,” and he added “we go to St. George Antiochian church where we are welcomed, where we find love and respect.”
When TNH asked him why he doesn’t return to the Transfiguration parish, Manolis said, “it doesn’t attract me anymore. We went to church to help because this is what our faith teaches us to do.”
He also said that, “Lowell is finished; people don’t go to church, it doesn’t attract them. Why should they go? The priests are always asking for money and more money. We all read The National Herald and we are informed about everything that is going on with the finances of the Archdiocese, St. Nicholas, and the Theological School. We don’t have any more trust. They send correspondence to homes saying ‘end your cable TV subscription,’ or ‘instead of buying coffee, send the money to us.’ And our hierarchs haven’t learned anything from the Roman Catholics regarding the pedophiles and the rest. They send them to psychiatrists for a few months and they reassign them again.”
Asked what he would say to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew if he had the opportunity to talk to him, Manolis said, “you must dismiss them all from Archbishop Demetrios, who has embarrassed us, on down – they have destroyed us. Methodios here is destroying the parishes – you should have gotten rid of him many years ago.”
