In the presence of well-known Greek-Americans and friends of Greece from the political, business and artistic world, the White House’s traditional reception for the anniversary of Greek Independence was held.
According to the National Herald, the strong bonds of friendship between Greece and the United States, the mutual respect and the common belief of the two countries in the supreme ideal of democracy were emphatically mentioned by US President Joe Biden, host of the celebration held on Thursday afternoon at the White House.
Happening Now: President Biden hosts a reception celebrating Greek Independence Day. https://t.co/WkKuAUgDqV
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 4, 2024
US President Joe Biden welcomed his expatriate guests in a cordial atmosphere and with a warm speech, during which he did not fail to remind them once again that his close ties with Greece gave him his “Greek” surname, “Baidenopoulos”.
After he sought out among the attendees the Greek-American ambassador of the United States to Greece, George Tsunis, and the lieutenant governor of California, Eleni Kounalaki, and after joking once again about his age, Joe Biden referred to the early years of his political career as a senator for Delaware and the contribution of the expatriate community in his rise to power.
“I don’t remember the exact number of votes, but I think all of Delaware’s Greek-Americans voted for me. That’s why I got the Greek nickname I’m proud of, ‘Baidenopoulos.
Welcome to the White House, this is your home, and you are one of the reasons why I am here and why this House is here. Today we celebrate 203 years of Greek Independence. 203 years.
We celebrate the ties, and the friendship between Greece and the United States.
Here today we have proud Greek-Americans from the sciences, journalism, academics, people from the business community, people from the economy and business. People from all over the country.
I want to thank Helen for being here and being a wonderful friend over the years as well as George Tsounis. Here is the president of Delaware University who is sitting up front here and he is also Greek-American.
I am not exaggerating when I say that you are the reason I am here. And in this audience here are lifelong friends.
Many of the values that I grew up with are the values that our Greek American friends also grew up with. Like treating everyone with dignity. My father used to say, Joey, life is so much more than a paycheck.
It’s dignity, it’s respect, it’s looking the other person in the eye and saying, it’s going to be all right. Treating everyone with dignity no matter who they are. To not forget no matter how hard you work and how hard you dream to not forget where you started.
And pride. That pride we share in our common country. That is what we celebrate today. Today is about friendship. Aristotle said that a friend is a common soul divided into two bodies. And that is what we are. Friends.
To me this reflects the relationship between Greece and the United States. I believe that the soul is the life, the breath, the essence of who we are. America is the only country on earth that was built on this idea. We don’t rely on geography, we rely on this idea.
We are all entitled to be treated with dignity, with honesty and with respect throughout our lives. And democracy is the vehicle that can make all this happen. And we all know where that idea was born, where democracy was born.
Some of the greatest thinkers on this earth have conceived this idea, “we the people.” Municipality and democracy. In my view, this is the most precious gift that Greece has given to the world.
The fathers of the American nation studied the ancient Greek thinkers, our revolution of 1776 drew inspiration from them. 45 years later, Greek patriots fought for their own independence.
That’s why the anniversary of Greek Independence is a special day for America, too. Our countries are connected. We share values, we share inspiration, we share the belief that “anything is possible.”
I was talking to Chinese President Xi Jinping and he asked me “can you give a definition of America?” And I told him the same thing I would tell him if he asked me to define what Greece is. And I gave him a one-word answer, and I mean it sincerely. “Potential.”
We believe that anything is possible if we, the people, join forces for the common good. The bonds between us are rooted in history. But they are even more alive today, in this very room. Today we keep those ties alive.
People in Greece, people in the United States. It is not enough to inherit democracy. We must become its defenders.
We must make every generation a champion. We have to be champions. And that is more important today than ever before.
So thank you all for being here today to celebrate freedom, thank you for your commitment to making real in our time the ideals that have united our two countries over the years And may our two countries live democratically.
So my friends, happy anniversary of Greek Independence and welcome home!”
Earlier, Archbishop Elpidoforos, Archbishop of America, took the floor and spoke about the common origins and the ties that unite the two countries Greece and the United States.
Read below his speech
“Mr. President, once again you honor the Greek-Americans, the people of America in this very special way, with the annual celebration of the Greek Independence Day here at the White House. As always, we remain humbled before the prestige of this celebration and on behalf of all of you, we thank you for continuing this wonderful tradition that recognizes the Greek roots of democracy.
To these democratic ideals that are sadly diminishing throughout the world we are here to declare and remember those whose dedication to the causes of freedom and democracy cost them the most expensive price of all, their lives.
These men are the immortal heroes of 1821 who, like those of 1776 and all those of every generation willing to make such a costly sacrifice on the altar of freedom, we say “eternal memory” to all brave warriors for peace and justice.
Mr. President, you have long been a close and trusted friend of the Greek-American family and one of the oldest since the early years in Wilmington. But you are much more than a dear friend.
As President, you have led the world in peace and sovereignty of nations and continue to be a leading advocate for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters.
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The people who for two years now have been fighting for their lives against the unjust and inhumane invasion You continue to stand by them and for your unceasing and unwavering support we are grateful to you.
Also, as children of the Mother Church of Constantinople, whose undisputed leader, His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, counts you as a true friend – we have a reason for even more gratitude.
Thank you for your strong support for the spiritual mission of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a mission of love, peace and hope that is needed now more than ever.
Mr. President, we thank you for your dedication to Greece and Cyprus. We are at your side as you are at ours.
Long live America, long live the Greek nation.”
