Celebrating the 198th anniversary of the Hellenic Independence Day

On March 22, the Consulate General of Greece in New York held its Greek Independence Day Open House Reception to celebrate the 198th anniversary of our nation’s struggle for independence. Hundreds of fellow Greeks, Americans and Greek-Americans were received by the host of the evening, Consul General Konstantinos Koutras in an event dedicated not only to the joyous celebrations but also to the memory of the victims of the Pontian Genocide perpetrated in Turkey, exactly 100 years ago.

Delivering his keynote speech, Consul General Koutras emphasized the historically binding ties between the nations of Greece and the United States. Since 1821 and the very first years of the Greek fight for Independence, the American people showed extremely impressive reflexes in standing up for our people’s right to claim their freedom and autonomy. The “Greek fever” as it was called by the Struggle’s supporters led to an unprecedented and vibrant wave of enthusiasm and support by the American people, contributing immensely to the cause, both morally and financially.

“Our nation’s survival and progress is owed to our ancient past’s thinkers, our Revolution’s heroes and to everyone who sacrificed their lives in the fight against tyranny and obscurantism”, said the Consul General, adding “we owe a great deal to our pioneer Greek immigrants to the United States who managed to make our Diaspora grow and develop into a significant influence”.


“Today, it is our duty to preserve the historical truth,” he concluded, presenting the historical Trophy of the Battle of Bizani in 1913, the successful outcome of which contributed to the liberation of the city of Ioannina from the Ottoman Rule, almost a century after the outbreak of the nation’s revolution. American military officer, Thomas Setzer Hutchison participated in this decisive battle of the First Balkan Wars. Following the surrender of the city, he returned to the United States where he was greeted with an overwhelming reception by the Greeks of Tennessee, who presented Hutchison with the Trophy. It laid in obscurity for a century until it was discovered by the historians Peter Giakoumis and Mike Peters, who entrusted it with the Consulate General of Greece in New York.

Together with its victorious highlights, the 20th century is also marked by the collective trauma of the Pontian Genocide, which took place in Turkey, in 1919. The tragedy ensued has been central to the work of many Greek artists, including Giorgos Taxidis, a Greek of Pontian descent. Presenting his exhibition titled “apóllūmai [transl. ἀπόλλυμαι],” art curator Tiffany Apostolou explained how Taxidis attempts to connect viewers through memory by addressing the loss of roots and loved ones, as well as the fundamental human experience of losing one’s self in memories.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios was given a personal tour around the exhibition by the curator and the artist, after delivering his speech, where he noted that collective success which came in the form of our nation’s liberation from tyranny could only be achieved through our zestful individual contribution to something meaningful and essential.

The reception was met with great enthusiasm by the attendants, who were treated to a musical performance by the Cyprus New York Productions ensemble and a heroic music repertoire chosen by musician Fytos Stratis.

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