AHI Executive Director Nick Larigakis Speaks at the Inaugural Installment of The Symposium Series, Sponsored by the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in Chicago

WASHINGTON, DC — May 27, 2009, AHI Executive Director Nick Larigakis spoke at the inaugural installment of The Symposium Series, sponsored by the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center. The theme was, “The Obama Administration’s Foreign Policy and Effects on Hellenic Issues.” The event was held at the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center in Chicago, IL.

The panelist for the discussion included Dr. Alex Papadopoulos and Endy D. Zemenides who also served as moderator of the panel.

The panelist discussed the first 100 days of President Obama’s administration as it related to U.S. relations with Greece and Cyprus. The topics ranged from the presidents’ visit to Turkey, the FYROM name dispute, Cyprus, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Aegean, and ultimately the importance of the involvement of the Greek American grass roots community.

Dr. Alex Papadopoulos of DePaul University is an urban and political geographer. Professor Papadopoulos explores the intersection of political process and urban change. His published work includes a significant monograph on the urban impacts of European integration in the restructuring of Brussels' downtown, and a collection of articles on the urban impacts of market reform and political liberalization in St. Petersburg, Russia. Dr. Papadopoulos' political geographic research includes works on identity formation and international security in the Southern Balkans. His current research includes two projects: a study of the role of geospatial technologies in the emergence of an American “security state”, and a grant-supported study of the spatial logics of the Vincentia ‘praxis’ in early state formation in France.

Endy D. Zemenides is a partner in the law firm of Acosta, Kruse & Zemenides, LLC. Mr. Zemenides is also the Political Director for Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. Mr. Zemenides graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was an editor of the Georgetown Journal of International Law and a student-fellow in the Harrison Institute’s Public Policy Clinic – in 2000. Mr. Zemenides serves on the Editorial Board and Board of Advisors of the National Strategy Forum, a Chicago based foreign policy organization, on the Board of Directors of the National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes, the board of the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center and is the founding president of the Hellenic American Leadership Council. Mr. Zemenides has lectured in International Relations and American Foreign Policy in DePaul University’s Political Science Department and has published several pieces in the areas of national security and international relations.

“The contributions of Mr. Larigakis and Dr. Papadopoulos to a productive symposium were invaluable. The program advanced an understanding not only of the effect of U.S. foreign policy on Hellenic issues, but the broader context in which there is interplay between these issues and U.S. foreign policy. It was very instructive to hear the analysis of how Hellenic issues are affected by developments in places like Israel, Georgia and Afghanistan. They both helped set a high bar for future symposiums,” said Mr. Zemenides.

Special guests in attendance were: John Calamos, Georgia Logothetis, Contributing Editor of Daily Kos; several board members of the Hellenic American Leadership Council who had just attended the PSEKA conference in Washington D.C.; Aris Halikias, President of the Museum; Peter Parthenis, V.P. of the Museum; Demetris Kozonis, Chair of the Athens-Chicago Sister Cities Committee; Mariyana Spyropoulos, National Affairs Chair for Independent Voters of Illinois – Independent Precinct Organization also AHI Chicago Chapter President; Demetris Logothetis, President of the Hellenic American Academy.

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For additional information, please contact C. Franciscos Economides at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our Web site at https://www.ahiworld.org.