[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 51 (Wednesday, March 25, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S3777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                188TH ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Greek Independence 
Day. My home state of Nevada is home to one of the most vibrant Greek 
communities in the United States, and I am pleased to join in 
celebration with my fellow Nevadans and Greek Americans all around our 
country on this 188th anniversary of the independence of Greece.
  The political and philosophical legacy of ancient Greece is the very 
cornerstone upon which our great experiment in American democracy 
rests, and the United States and Greece share a proud history of 
cooperation and friendship. Our two countries joined together as allies 
in every major international conflict throughout the 20th century, and 
the valiant contribution of the Greeks to the Allied effort in World 
War II in particular cannot be understated.
  Today, Greek Americans join together in celebrations both religious 
and secular, as Greek Independence Day coincides with the Greek 
Orthodox Church's celebration of the Festival of the Annunciation. As 
families gather to honor their Hellenic heritage with festive parades, 
prominent displays of the Greek flag, and preparation of traditional 
foods, I invite my fellow United States Senators to join me in 
congratulating the Greek Americans who have so enriched our country 
with their many contributions.
  Earlier this week, I was pleased to support Senate Resolution 82, 
which passed the Senate by unanimous consent, and recognizes the 188th 
anniversary of the independence of Greece and celebrates Greek and 
American democracy. The strong partnership between the United States 
and Greece has prospered for nearly two centuries, and I look forward 
to many more years of friendship between our countries.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, today marks a truly cherished day for the 
Greek people, Greek-Americans and for all the friends of Greece around 
the globe. It is the 188th anniversary of the day in 1821 when the 
people of Greece declared independence from the Ottoman Empire, 
signaling the beginning of the end of centuries of political, 
religious, and cultural repression of their proud and ancient culture. 
It took a further 8 years of heroic struggle before Greece secured its 
full independence.
  Americans have long recognized that the ideals which guided our own 
struggle for independence--liberty, democracy, and human dignity--were 
also the foundation for Greece's declaration of sovereignty. The United 
States and Greece were thus destined to become not only faithful allies 
but close friends. Nearly two centuries after the rebirth of Greek 
independence, our two nations and their citizens are bound by ever-
strengthening bonds which link us through both a shared heritage of 
democratic values and a modern alignment of strategic interests.
  Just as there is much to celebrate in the 188 years of modern 
Greece's independence, there are many challenges which it faces in the 
21st century. Ongoing provocations by Turkey in the Aegean and 
irredentist actions by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia thwart 
Greece's quest for a stable southeastern Europe free of past centuries' 
often cataclysmic territorial adventurism. Ankara's continuing 
persecution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople--the 
leader of Greek Orthodox Christians around the world--and illegal 
occupation of the north of Cyprus remain an outrageous affront not only 
to Hellenes but to people everywhere who believe in human rights.
  Therefore, on this anniversary of Greek independence, let us not only 
celebrate and congratulate our friends in Greece but also rededicate 
ourselves to strengthening the relationship that exists between our two 
great nations, so as to defend its foundational principles and ensure 
its vitality in the centuries to come.

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