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The 41st annual PSEKA Cyprus Conference hosted by PSEKA, with the leadership of its president Philip Christopher, took place in Washington, DC on June 9-11. It was cosponsored by AHEPA, AHI, HABA, the Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce, FCAO, the Chian Federation, and the Pancyprian Association of America, and coordinated by Manatos & Manatos/Coordinated Effort of Hellenes.
Cyprus Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry Michael Damianos addressed the group on its opening day and attended the reception hosted in the home of the H.E. Ambassador of Cyprus Evangelos Savva, before travelling to Houston to participate with other cabinet members in the 3+1 meetings.
Twenty-five US Members of Congress and six US Senators in positions key to the future of Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean addressed a robust group of over 80 Hellenes dedicated to Hellenic issues. The Cyprus Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, joined this year by his wife Irene, gave remarks as did of course H.E. Ambassador Evangelos Savva and H.E. Ambassador of Greece Antonis Alexandridis.
Some of the Senators and Members who addressed the group and gave strong remarks regarding Cyprus include: Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jim Risch (R-ID), who was presented an award by Tom Katsilometes of Idaho; Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Gregory Meeks (D-NY), who was presented the Sarbanes Freedom Award by Dennis Mehiel of New York; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who was introduced by Dennis Mehiel; Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL) was presented an award and greeted by two mayors from Cyprus who joined the conference this year, Dr. Iosif Violaris of Kyrenia and Marios Zambakides of Kythrea; Speaker Emerita of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who was presented the first ever Pelosi Democracy Award by Dennis Mehiel and Andy Manatos; Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committees; Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; Ranking Member of the House Energy Committee Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ); Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who was introduced by Savas Tsivicos of New Jersey; and our wonderful Greek-American delegation: Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), and Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-FL).
Other members of the House of Representatives who addressed the group include Vice Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Gabe Amo (D-RI); Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Chair of its CIA Subcommittee; Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), member of the House Appropriations Committee; Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ), member of the House Armed Services Committee; Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Jim Himes (D-CT); Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO), member of the House Armed Services Committee and newly appointed member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Brad Sherman (D-CA), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY), who was introduced by Dennis Mehiel; Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY); and Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ).
The Hellenes also heard from Julie Fishman Rayman, Senior Vice President of the American Jewish Committee; Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America; and John Kiriakou, former CIA agent and influencer who reaches tens of millions of listeners.
The evening banquet provided an opportunity for Cyprus Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis to give a keynote address and for Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Michael Kratsios to give remarks and be presented with a special award.
Other special recognitions were given that evening to long-time Hellenes: Markos Marinakos, who was presented the Livanos Award; Andreas Comodromos, who was presented the George Paraskevaides Award; Tasos Zambas, who was presented the Nikos Mouyiaris Award; and a surprise presentation of the Andy Athens Award to Father Alex Karloutsos, The Grand Protopresbyter of the Great Church of Christ, who was joined by his wife, Presvytera Xanthi Karloutsos.
The two-and-a-half day conference concluded with a stimulating panel discussion on Cyprus energy, commerce and trade led by Demetrios Comodromos, president of the Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce with participation by Nicolas Nicolaou, founder of Kinisis Ventures and past president of the Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce, Member of European Parliament Geadis Geadi and Niovi Christopoulou, Partner at AI.fund.
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