BRONX, NY – The Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and elected officials held a celebration for the 197th anniversary of Greek Independence at the community hall of Zoodohos Peghe Greek Orthodox Church on March 8.
The event also honored Dr. Demetre Daskalakis- the Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Disease Control at the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Theodore Kaltsas- entrepreneur and former president of the Agios Athanasios Association of Perista, Kostas Malonoukos- businessman and parish council president of Saint Peter the Apostle Greek Orthodox Church in the Bronx, and Haeda Mihaltses- St. Michael’s Home Board of Trustees President and Vice President of External Affairs and Community Engagement for the New York Mets.
The presiding priest of St. Peter the Apostle Church, Fr. Maximos Politis, offered a prayer, and expressed gratitude to the Bronx Borough President and the other elected officials, because each year, he said, they honor Greece and the Greek community.
New York State Assemblymember Aravella Simotas, who also served as the MC for the event, spoke about the Greek community’s achievements. She also noted that her landslide re-election victory, as well as that of State Senator Michael Gianaris and New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides were due to the tremendous support of the Greek community.
Zoodohos Peghe Parish Council President Sofia Zarvos, welcomed the Bronx Borough President and the elected officials and highlighted the efforts of the community and the Greek-American Institute (GAI) of the Bronx, founded in 1912, the oldest continuously run Greek Orthodox School in the United States.
George Spiliotopoulos gave the panegyric of the day.
Senator, Michael Gianaris, congratulated the Bronx Borough President for his decision to hold the annual celebration of Greek Independence and the honored ones.
Bronx President Ruben Diaz Jr. referred to Greece’s contributions to Western culture and the role of the Omogeneia in the progress of the city and the state. He then gave out the proclamations to the honorees in celebration of the anniversary of Greek Independence.
The 7th and 8th grade students of GAI performed traditional dances in costume, delighting the audience. Panagiotis Papastefanou sang the Greek National Anthem.
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