AHEPA Supreme President Chris Kaitson led a delegation of AHEPA leaders to New York City for the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s annual banquet on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the New York Hilton Midtown. The evening marked the 40th anniversary of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award, established in 1986 to honor defenders of religious freedom and human dignity, and this year’s honoree was His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York.

Cardinal Dolan was recognized for his defense of religious freedom, including his service on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty and the Justice Department’s Religious Liberty Commission, as well as his friendship with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He joins a distinguished roster of past honorees that includes Archbishop Iakovos, President Jimmy Carter, Mother Teresa, Elie Wiesel, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Joining Supreme President Kaitson in the AHEPA delegation were AHEPA Canada President Anastasios Moussas, Daughters of Penelope Grand President Antoinette Marousis Zachariades; Past Supreme Presidents Savas C. Tsivicos, Jimmy Kokotas, Andrew C. Zachariades, Carl Hollister, and George G. Horiates; Supreme Vice President Zenon Christodoulou; Supreme Secretary Themistocles Frangos; Past AHEPA Canada President Emmanuel Constas; Supreme Counselor Ted Stamas; Supreme Governor Asteris Fanikos as well as others.

The 40th anniversary also coincides with the 60th anniversary year of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America.