WASHINGTON, DC – Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA) has made the difficult decision to cancel the 98th AHEPA Family Supreme Convention scheduled for July 19-26, 2020, at Walt Disney World Resort, in Orlando, FL, announced Supreme President George G. Horiates on May 12.

“Protecting the health, safety, and well-being of our delegates, members, and guests and their families, is our priority and has led us to take this unprecedented measure,” Supreme President Horiates said.

“We recognize canceling the world’s largest week-long annual meeting of Hellenes and philhellenes impacts many of you in many ways. We want to acknowledge the tremendous volume of reservations that were made by members of the community. Room reservations were literally oversold.

“During this process, we have been in constant communication and discussion with the Supreme Lodge, Board of Trustees under the leadership of Chairman Nicholas Karacostas, and Headquarters staff, who were working tirelessly to organize and stage another fun-filled and successful Supreme Convention. I want to thank them for their hard work and leadership during this difficult time.

“We also thank the professionals at Disney with whom we have been in constant, weekly consultation since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. We look forward to partnering with Disney again in the near future.

“Finally, we appreciate the community’s understanding and unwavering commitment to the AHEPA family and its mission,” Horiates concluded.

This will be the first time in AHEPA’s 98-year history that a Supreme Convention will be canceled. During World War II, the Supreme Convention was suspended from 1943-1945. Instead, smaller annual National Conferences were held in Washington, DC.

More information is available via email: ahepa@ahepa.org.

Horiates also responded to the Encyclical His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros issued for AHEPA Sunday, celebrated on May 17 this year.

“We are honored by, and appreciate deeply, the kind words of Archbishop Elpidophoros, who eloquently commemorated our mission and recognized the community service work our members provide across the United States and around the world, especially in helping to meet the current coronavirus pandemic,” Supreme President Horiates said. “The AHEPA family values the close ties and shared history it has with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. We are also grateful for the blessings His Eminence has bestowed upon the AHEPA family and our members.”

More information about AHEPA is available online: ahepa.org.