| WASHINGTON, DC — AHEPA Supreme President E. Chris Kaitson, alongside additional AHEPA Leadership, attended the 41st annual PSEKA (International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus) Conference this week, underscoring AHEPA’s commitment to peace in Cyprus through the reunification of occupied Northern Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus. Supreme Vice President Dr. Zenon Christodoulou and AHEPA Board Vice Chairman George G. Horiates, PSP joined the Supreme President for the occasion. |
The Conference occurred over several days, beginning on Tuesday with a luncheon featuring the following speakers: Ambassador of Cyprus, H.E. Evangelos Savva, Ambassador of Greece, H.E. Antonis Alexandridis, Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry in Cyprus, Michaelis Damianos, Cyprus Member of Parliament Geadis Gead and ex-CIA influencer John Kiriakou. The Supreme President additionally addressed the audience, praising PSEKA for the good work they’ve accomplished through unifying Greek and Cypriot-American organizations for a united cause.
The following day, conference attendees convened in the U.S. Capitol for a day of advocacy, where 30 members of Congress delivered remarks. Notable members included, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, Senator Cory Booker, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. The keynote address of the day came from Pelosi, who recalled her long and intimate history advocating for the Cyprus issue alongside the very organizations who comprise PSEKA. Additionally, she and others, received the Soil Award, a unique honor which features two soil vials; one from the world’s first democracy, Greece and one from the world’s greatest, the U.S.
That evening, the conference dinner occurred at the Capitol Hilton, where Cyprus Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis served as the keynote speaker and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios received a Soil Award. Supreme President Kaitson offered additional remarks, speaking to the importance of PSEKA’s work and his experience participating in the conference.
The PSEKA Conference ended the following day after the breakfast and panel discussion titled, “Cyprus and USA Energy & Trade + 3+1.” The panel focused on the economic policy discussed the previous days in more detail, highlighting the role that business and trade play in peace efforts in Cyprus.
Remarking the occasion, Supreme President Kaitson said, “I was proud to represent AHEPA at this year’s PSEKA Conference. Seeking an end to the continued occupation of Cyprus is a noble cause that AHEPA is happy to support, as we continue to advocate for peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean.”
Photos courtesy of ®GANP/D. Panagos
