ASTORIA – Anna Maria Fazio, with roots in Kerkyra, was crowned Miss Greek Independence at the Stathakion Center in Astoria on March 17 at the annual pageant organized by the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York. Her family attends Archangel Michael Church in Port Washington where they are members of the community.
As the 17-year-old Miss Greek Independence noted, her dream is to become a psychologist, while she won over the judges and the audience with her knowledge, as well as the very warm words about Greece.
“Since I was little, I visited Greece. Until I grew up, I was not aware of how important it was to me. I am proud to be a Greek woman and my friends constantly ask me to stop talking all the time about Greece and how beautiful it is.”
Anna Maria Fazio received the crown from her predecessor, Julia Kokkosis, Miss Greek Independence 2017, who urged her, like the other contestants, to enjoy the experience of their participation in the competition.
“It was an unforgettable experience for me. You will remember this forever,” said last year’s winner.
A total of eight girls participated in the pageant. First runner-up was Eleni Papastefanou (Kalymnos) and second runner-up Maria-Styliani Koutroupis. The following also participated: Georgia Gantidis (Miss Karditsa), Anastasia Avlonitis (Errikousa), Irene Kavvadias (Kavala), Sotiria Filos (Karpenissi) and Nicoletta Filos (Lamia).
“The title is not as important as my participation in the competition. I am a child who came from Greece and New York once felt like a foreign city. It is very good for me to participate actively in the Greek community,” Miss Koutroupis told The National Herald.
George Patoulis- Mayor of the Athens municipality of Marousi and president of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) was among the eleven judges at the pageant along with Aris Kourkoumelis, Dimitris Filippidis, Nomiki Kastanas, Chrisoula Fiotodimitrakis, Eleni Psarra, George Galatoulas, Sofia Fasos, Anna Notis, Kostas Haniotakis, and Christos Kostaras.
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