NEW YORK – Stelios Kirimlis has resigned as Supreme President of the Pan-Macedonian Association of the United States, a position he has held since 2016. Mr. Kirimlis sent out a letter of resignation, dated April 2, noting that the “decision was not made lightly” since the position “has been one of the highlights of my life.”
The letter does not include a specific reason for the resignation, but highlights the recent accomplishments of the Association and notes that Mr. Dimitri Filippidis will take on the role of Supreme President after Kirimlis’ departure. He said of Filippidis, “He is a high achieving individual who is fully capable of leading this organization on its continued quests and I encourage all to assist him in organizing the upcoming convention.”
Kirimlis concluded by affirming his support for the organization and all its causes, adding his wishes for a happy Pascha and “long live Macedonia.”
The full text of the letter of resignation follows:
To the Executive Committee and all members of the Association,
As you may have heard, I have recently decided to resign from the position of Supreme President of the Pan-Macedonian Association of the United States, effective immediately. This decision was not made lightly, as representing the Association has been one of the highlights of my life!
Upon reviewing endeavors of the organization over the past few years, several monumental experiences come to mind. Namely, the constant and tireless efforts in preserving the cultural safety of our beloved Macedonia have occupied the majority of my tenure. Any opportunity to create awareness and remind the world of our birthright has been of the utmost importance. The letter writing campaign and the “this is not your name” petition were a tremendous success!
Additionally, my committee and I have had the distinct honor in meeting with the Greek Foreign Minister N. Kotzias several times, to discuss the Skopian name issue. Also, several private meetings with Mr. Matthew Nimitz in N.Y. allowed us to vocalize the concerns of the Association as well as learn about the recent negotiations.
However, meetings and discussions are necessary, yet insufficient means towards achievement of safeguarding the name Macedonia. The inclusion of the people in rallies and demonstrations has helped spread the word of our mission. This past January and February, I helped organize and co-sponsor the “Syllalitiria” in Thessaloniki and Athens. These events were attended by 573,000 and 1,400,000 Greeks respectively from throughout our wonderful country. This was an achievement never having been reached in Greece before! On March 18th, we held another very successful rally before the United Nations in New York City.
We made our mark in the Greek National Foreign Policy on the name issue. We must never surrender the name of our region and I would like to personally thank all those who have contributed their time and energy with me, to this cause.
Another major effort has been the preservation of our building, The Alexandreion, in Greece. Despite lawsuits by Mr. Paschalis and Mr. Mitoulis and false claims and accusations, we were able to maintain ownership of the building and successfully held our annual 2017 convention at the Alexandreion.
Although we won the first battle in the Lawsuit, we did not win the War yet!! The lawsuit is still pending, but we fully expect to prevail and establish a board whose members cherish our ideals and will work with the Ανωτάτη Αρχή here in New York, diligently to maintain the building and all it represents. Unfortunately it is a long and expensive battle.
Lastly, enhancing the relationships with our fellow Pan-Macedonian organizations around the world has been extremely rewarding. I believe we, as the United States Association, represent leadership and we have set the tone of excellence in our conduct and interactions. The Associations around the world regard each other with respect and we all speak now with one voice! I hope these solid relationships sustain for years to come.
Upon my departure, Mr. Dimitri Filippidis will fill the position of Supreme President. He is a high achieving individual who is fully capable of leading this organization on its continued quests and I encourage all to assist him in organizing the upcoming convention.
Thank you to those who have committed themselves to the missions of the Association. I, too, felt the calling of our purpose and am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Supreme President for the past two years.
A special thanks to those who offered personal support and collaboration. Your assistance is deeply appreciated and I will continue to treasure your loyalty and commitment. This organization will remain in my heart and I will continue to sponsor my support for all its causes in the future.
ΚΑΛΟ ΠΑΣΧΑ to all of you.
ΖΗΤΩ Η ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ ΜΑΣ!
Sincerely,
Stelios Kirimlis
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