WASHINGTON — The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA), American Hellenic Institute (AHI), B’nai B’rith International, and Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations issued the following joint statement:
“We welcome the continued development of the Israel, Greece, and Cyprus trilateral partnership with news of the ‘First Economic Dialogue held between the United States and Trilateral Partners Republic of Cyprus, Greece, and Israel’ on July 25 in Washington, D.C. We applaud the United States’ ongoing engagement following March’s Sixth Trilateral Summit where the United States participated for the first time.
“Separately, we welcome as another positive indicator that bilateral relations between Greece and Israel have not lost a step with a newly elected government in Greece as evidenced by Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias’s announced visit to Israel early in the new government’s tenure. The July 28 visit included meetings with President of Israel Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz to discuss matters pertaining to the tripartite and developments in the eastern Mediterranean, which we view as vital and timely.
“We applaud the commitment to fostering peace, security, stability, and shared democratic values and ideals, in the region by all parties. We are pleased the relationship continues to progress across all sectors. We will continue to lend our broad diaspora support and encouragement for advancing the trilateral partnership and the United States’ commitment to it.”
Background
In August 2011 and December 2012 AHEPA, AHI, B’nai B’rith International, and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations co-organized roundtable discussions in New York City between leaders of the American Jewish and American Hellenic communities.
In January 2018, the four organizations completed their third Leadership Mission to Israel, Cyprus and Greece and are planning a fourth mission in 2020. The groundbreaking inaugural mission to the three countries took place January 2014 and led to diaspora support for the tripartite, greater understanding between our communities, and the greater recognition of our common values, intents, and aspirations.
In December 2018, the organizations co-sponsored an international conference held in Jerusalem titled, “New Realities in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
In October 2010, AHEPA organized a groundbreaking conference on emerging relations between Greece and Israel that brought together the ambassadors to the U.S. of Greece, Israel, and Cyprus as well as representatives of their respective embassies; and representatives of Congress, diaspora groups, and academia.
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Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, on the principles that undergirded its fight for civil rights and against discrimination, bigotry, and hatred felt at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, AHEPA is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 400 chapters across the United States, Canada, and Europe.
AHEPA’s mission 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, please visit www.ahepa.org.