Contact: Colleen Roche/Matthew Higgins (212) 788-2958
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today joined the Mayor of Athens, Dimitris Avramopoulos, and hundreds of members of the Greek community to proclaim March Greek Heritage Month in honor of the 178th anniversary of the Greek declaration of emancipation from the Ottoman Empire. The Mayor presented Proclamations to the Very Reverend Protopresbyter George G. Passias, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Church of America, and George Georgopoulos, President of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York.
"Greek Independence Day commemorates a pivotal moment in the history of Western civilization and the development of modern democracy," the Mayor said. "Greece was the birthplace of democratic ideals and its emancipation from the Ottoman Empire marked the triumph of these cherished ideals over tyranny and oppression. "
The Mayor continued, "The contributions of our City's Greek population, like the contributions of so many other immigrant groups, have helped New York City grow immeasurably stronger. From the vibrant Greek community in Astoria, to churches and businesses owned by Greek Americans in all parts of the City, New York City is home to the largest Greek population in North America -- a source of pride for all New Yorkers."
After almost 400 years of Turkish occupation and a bitter war, the people of Greece declared their independence on March 25, 1821. To commemorate this historic event, every year members of the Greek community participate in a procession from Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan to City Hall, culminating in a Proclamation ceremony and reception hosted by the Mayor.
The Mayor was also joined at the City Hall ceremony by Counsel General of Greece, Charalambos Manessis; Counsel General of Cyprus, Pantias E. Eliades; Secretary of the Council of Ministers, Dr. Chrysostomos Sofianos (Cyprus); Minister of Education and Culture, Honorable Ouranios Ionnides (Cyrpus); and distinguished members of the Greek-American community.
The Mayor also highlighted one of the City's most popular events, the annual Greek Independence Day Parade, produced by the Federation of the Hellenic Societies. The Parade will be held on Sunday, March 28 and this year's Grand Marshalls are Demetris Avramopoulos, United States Senator Ted Kennedy, and Bill Stathakos, the Grand Benefactor of the Federation of Hellenic Societies. This is the 61st year the annual parade celebrating Greek independence has been held in New York City.