New Ambassador of Greece to U.S. Visits AHEPA Headquarters

The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) and Daughters of Penelope (DOP) welcomed His Excellency Christos P. Panagopoulos, Greece’s new ambassador to the United States, to AHEPA Headquarters on October 5, 2012.

AHEPA Executive Director Basil Mossaidis, representing Supreme President Dr. John Grossomanides, and Daughters of Penelope Executive Director Elena Saviolakis, representing Grand President Joanne Saltas, met with the ambassador (Photo in front page).  The discussion centered on how the organizations can work together to help the ambassador expedite his mission.

“We welcomed Ambassador Panagopoulos to Washington and congratulated him on his new post,” Executive Director Basil Mossaidis said.  “We look forward to working with the ambassador in efforts to advance relations between the United States and Greece as well as to increase outreach to the Greek American community.”

Ambassador Panagopoulos presented his credentials to President Barack Obama on September 19, 2012.

Prior to his current post as Greece’s ambassador to the U.S., Ambassador Panagopoulos served for the past four years as director of the Diplomatic Cabinet of the Minister and of the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs. Previously, he was ambassador of Greece to the Republic of Serbia, after having spent five years as ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus. He began his career at the Greek Embassy in Ankara.

AHEPA is the largest Greek-American association in the world with chapters in the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, and sister chapters in Australia and New Zealand. It was established in 1922 by visionary Greek Americans to protect Hellenes from prejudice originating from the KKK, and in its history, AHEPA joined with the NAACP and B’nai B’rith International to fight discrimination.

The mission of the AHEPA family is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.

For more information about the AHEPA family, or how to join, please contact AHEPA Headquarters, (202) 232-6300, or visit www.ahepa.org. To learn more about the AHEPA National Educational Foundation, please visit www.ahepa.org/education.