AHI Hosts Screening of Groundbreaking PBS Cyprus Documentary in Mexico City, Mexico

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) took its series of “Town Hall Screenings” of the one-hour documentary “Cyprus Still Divided: A U.S. Foreign Policy Failure” to Mexico City, Mexico, September 28, 2011. The screening was held in conjunction with a ceremony officiated by Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Mexico Vasilios Philippou at which AHI Member Constantine Galanis was officially installed as Honorary Consul for the Republic of Cyprus to Toluca, a city located near Mexico City.

“We congratulate Mr. Galanis on becoming an honorary consul and for sharing his special occasion with us by hosting a screening of the documentary,” said AHI President Nick Larigakis.  “We appreciated the support from the community to help make the event a success and to our gracious hosts, Honorary Consul Galanis and his wife, Sophia.”

Larigakis added, “We believe it is important to present the documentary to international audiences because the invasion and subsequent occupation of Cyprus by Turkey is of course a violation of international law.”

More than 100 persons representing a cross-section of business and community leaders and government officials attended the screening and subsequent discussion featuring AHI President Larigakis. Among the dignitaries joining Ambassador Philippou and Honorary Consul Galanis in attendance were: Constantinos Christofides, rector, University of Cyprus; Eleftherios Pilavakis, first secretary, Embassy of Cyprus; Nicolas Vassilakis, first secretary, Embassy of Greece; and LIC. Jaime Cervantes Hernandez, secretariat of Foreign Affairs, State of Mexico.

The documentary has aired on Maryland Public Television (MPT) on October 17, 2011 and Detroit Public Television on September 13, 2010. The documentary was made possible by the support of the American Hellenic Institute Foundation.

AHI previously hosted “Town Hall Screenings” at Clearwater, Fla., New York City, Ohio, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento; and Portland, Ore., and Phoenix. Upcoming screenings are coming to St. Louis, Chicago, and the Tidewater, Va. area. Please visit www.ahiworld.org calendar for updates.

The American Hellenic Institute is a non-profit Greek American public policy center that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

Photos

Mexico City photos

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For additional information, please contact Demetra Atsaloglou at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at https://www.ahiworld.org.