Whereas the ancient Greeks developed the concept of
democracy, in which the supreme power to govern was vested in the
people;
Whereas the Founding Fathers of the United States, many of
whom read Greek political philosophy in the original Greek, drew heavily on the
political experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our
representative democracy;
Whereas Greek Commander in Chief Petros Mavromichalis, a
founder of the modern Greek state, said to the citizens of the United States in
1821 that it is in your land that liberty has fixed her abode and . . .
in imitating you, we shall imitate our ancestors and be thought worthy of them
if we succeed in resembling you
;
Whereas the Greek national anthem, the Hymn to
Liberty
, includes the words, Most heartily was gladdened George
Washington’s brave land
;
Whereas the people of the United States generously offered
humanitarian assistance to the Greek people during their struggle for
independence;
Whereas Greece played a major role in the World War II
struggle to protect freedom and democracy through such bravery as was shown in
the historic Battle of Crete, which provided the Axis land war with its first
major setback, setting off a chain of events that significantly affected the
outcome of World War II;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of Greek civilians were
killed in Greece during World War II in defense of the values of the
Allies;
Whereas, throughout the 20th century, Greece was one of a
few countries that allied with the United States in every major international
conflict;
Whereas Greece is a strategic partner and ally of the
United States in bringing political stability and economic development to the
volatile Balkan region, having invested more than $20,000,000,000 in the
countries of the region, thereby helping to create more than 200,000 new jobs,
and having contributed more than $750,000,000 in development aid for the
region;
Whereas Greece actively participates in peacekeeping and
peace-building operations conducted by international organizations including
the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union,
and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe;
Whereas Greece received worldwide praise for its
extraordinary handling during the 2004 Olympic Games of more than 14,000
athletes and more than 2,000,000 spectators and journalists, a feat Greece
handled efficiently, securely, and with hospitality;
Whereas Greece, located in a region where Christianity
meets Islam and Judaism, maintains excellent relations with Muslim nations and
Israel;
Whereas the Government of Greece has taken important steps
in recent years in furthering cross-cultural understanding and rapprochement
with Turkey, as seen with the January 2008 visit to Turkey by the Prime
Minister of Greece, Kostas Karamanlis, the first official visit by a Greek
Prime Minister in 49 years;
Whereas Greece and the United States are at the forefront
of the effort for freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and human
rights;
Whereas those and similar ideals have forged a close bond
between Greece and the United States; and
Whereas it is proper and desirable for the United States
to celebrate March 25, 2009, Greek Independence Day, with the Greek people and
to reaffirm the democratic principles from which these two great nations were
born: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)extends warm
congratulations and best wishes to the people of Greece as they celebrate the
188th anniversary of the independence of Greece;
(2)expresses support
for the principles of democratic governance to which the people of Greece are
committed; and
(3)notes the
important role that Greece has played in the wider European region and in the
community of nations since gaining its independence 188 years ago.