Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos Visits Hellenic House

On March 27, 2000 the American Hellenic Institute was pleased to welcome Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos as a visitor to Hellenic House. Mayor Avramopoulos was greeted at Hellenic House by AHI founder Eugene T. Rossides and other AHI officers, members and staff.

Mayor Avramopoulos was visiting Washington for the purpose of signing a protocol of "friendship and cooperation" with Washington DC Mayor Anthony A Williams and to conduct meetings with Administration and other officials. This protocol will complement similar arrangements that are already in place between Athens and Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston.

In his visit to Hellenic House, which lasted 90 minutes, Mayor Avramopoulos outlined his concept of a "partnership of cities" as a new institution in international relations. He highlighted Athens' unique status as the first city-state to lead this "city diplomacy" which was being carried out with the personal encouragement of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Mayor Avramopoulos outlined Athens' role as the host of the 2004 Olympic Games. In further discussion, Mayor Avramopoulos was briefed on AHI activities and on ideas for cooperation between the City of Athens and the United States.

Mayor Avramopoulos praised AHI for its services to U.S.-Greek relations. He said that AHI had a distinguished record on service in promoting mutual understanding between Greece and the United States.

Mr. Avramopoulos was accompanied by Greek Ambassador Alexander Philon and Special Adviser Dr. Aristidis Calogeropoulos-Stratis.

Also present at the meeting were AHI Chairman James Marketos, partner in Berliner, Corcoran and Rowe LLP, AHI Legal Counsel Nick Karambelas, partner in Sfikas, Karambelas and Akaras LLP, and AHI Members Mr. George Stamas, Vice-Chairman DeutscheBank Alex Brown, Mr. Aki Bayz, General Counsel of the American Hellenic National Council, and Andy Akaras, partner in Sfikas, Karambelas and Akaras LLP.

On November 29, 2000 AHI co-hosted a presentation by Mayor Avromopoulos at the Directors Forum of the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies.