[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23761]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF THE CHIAN FEDERATION AND ADAMANTIOS (DIMIS) TH. 
 VASSILAKIS PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF GREECE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, 
               RECIPIENT OF THE 29TH ANNUAL HOMERIC AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 6, 2006

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Chian 
Federation, which is presenting its 29th annual Homeric Award to 
Adamantios (Dimis) Th. Vassilakis, Permanent Representative of Greece 
to the United Nations. Their gala event has been organized under the 
leadership of the Chian Federation's President, George Almiroudis, and 
the Event Chair, who is also First Vice President of the Chian 
Federation, Alexandros Doulis.
  The Chian Federation was founded in 1974. Since then it has educated 
and empowered the Hellenic American community to exercise their rights 
and fulfill their obligations as American citizens. The Chian 
Federation has a strong record of advocating human rights and striving 
to promote democratic ideals. In addition to its political objectives, 
the organization sponsors a dance group; cultural events; a Web site; a 
magazine; business card exchanges; food, clothing and toy drives; a 
Senior Citizens' breakfast; and lectures on topics ranging from 
archaeology to health care.
  The Federation's accomplishments extend beyond the borders of the 
United States. On Chios, the Chian Federation has financially aided 
nursing homes, environmental groups for reforestation of the island, 
the Korais Library and the Office of the Repatriated Chians 
Organization, in addition to making substantial donations to the 
educational and health systems of Chios.
  The Chian Federation established the Homeric Award in 1977, with the 
idea of recognizing individuals who have made exceptional contributions 
to the Hellenic community. Ambassador Vassilakis earned this honor 
through his outstanding service to Greece as a diplomat, and as a 
friend to the Hellenic community in New York.
  Ambassador Vassilakis was born on the island of Chios on June 13, 
1942, where he grew up and received his basic education, graduating 
from the Commercial High School of Chios. He then attended the Free 
University of Brussels, Belgium earning a Licence in Political and 
Diplomatic Sciences.
  Mr. Vassilakis entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972 as 
Embassy Attache, and was appointed Third Secretary of Embassy at the 
Greek Embassy in Tirana, Albania in 1975. In 1977, he moved to the 
Foreign Ministry's First Department of Political Affairs, he was Head 
of Section for the U.S.S.R. and Eastern Europe. He served as a member 
of various Greek delegations visiting Eastern European countries and 
was a participant in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and 
Common Market political experts meetings.
  In 1985, Mr. Vassilakis was made Consul General of Greece in San 
Francisco, California, where he was promoted to First Counsellor of 
Embassy. In 1989, he was appointed Head of Section for Bilateral Greek-
United States, Iranian, Turkish and Arab Countries in the Foreign 
Ministry's Department of Bilateral Economic Relations. In 1990, Mr. 
Vassilakis entered the Department of European Community Affairs. In 
1991, he was named Deputy Permanent Representative in the Permanent 
Mission of Greece to the United Nations, and in 1994, he became Charge 
d'Affaires. In 1998, he was promoted to Minister Plenipotentiary (1st 
class). From 1999, Mr. Vassilakis served as Director General for 
European Affairs and Director of the Centre for Analysis and Planning 
in Greece's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2002, he was appointed to 
his present position.
  Ambassador Vassilakis is married to Fay Malouf-Vassilakis and they 
have two children, Theodore and Athena.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Chian 
Federation and its honoree, the Honorable Adamantios (Dimis) Th. 
Vassilakis.

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