WASHINGTON, DC – The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) commemorated the 82nd anniversary of ‘OXI’ Day by hosting a Virtual Speakers Forum on October 31 with guest speakers Dr. Alexandros Kyrou and Lieutenant General (Ret.) Ilias Leonataris.

Dr. Kyrou is Director of the Program in East European and Russian Studies and Professor of History at Salem State University, in Salem, Massachusetts, where he teaches on the Balkans, Byzantium, and the Ottoman Empire. Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leontaris is Emeritus Commander of the 1st Hellenic Army and Former Chief of the Cyprus National Guard. The discussion was moderated by AHI President Nick Larigakis.

Dr. Kyrou’s talk offered a corrective to a historical narrative and emphasized the significant impact Greece had on the course of World War II, especially considering the relatively small size and strength of Greece at the time. More information about Dr. Kyrou’s presentation is available online: https://bit.ly/3FSXMOw.

Lt. Gen. Leontaris gave an in-depth historical recounting of the events leading up to, during, and after Greece’s participation in the war including the legacy of Greece as a result. Read more about Lt. Gen. Leontaris’ presentation online: https://bit.ly/3DIWqmV.

His PowerPoint presentation is also available online: https://bit.ly/3zT7BIv.

In his concluding remarks, President Larigakis commended the guest speakers on their “stimulating and interesting presentations” and sent his warmest wishes to all the Greek people celebrating this most important national holiday.

‘OXI’ DAY Also Celebrated at Georgetown U.

Larigakis also addressed a group of about 50 students from Georgetown, George Washington University, and American University, at a presentation hosted by the Georgetown Hellenic Association at Georgetown University on November 1.

In his presentation, ‘‘OXI’ Day: Does the World Know?’, Larigakis emphasized the importance of educating others about Greece’s fervent stance against evil in WWII.

Larigakis stressed the long-term ramifications of Greek’s heroic resistance to the Axis powers in early WWII. He encouraged the community to reach out to their members of Congress to advocate on these issues. Larigakis also asked each student to write an article for their school newspapers about ‘OXI’ Day to educate their peers on this important aspect of history that is often forgotten. A robust Q&A session followed Larigakis’ presentation.

In addition to speaking on the events and impacts of ‘OXI’ Day, Larigakis provided an overview of U.S. policy in the eastern Mediterranean, including: the status of Cyprus reunification talks, the United States important military presence at Souda Bay, Crete; and the geopolitical tensions in the Aegean Sea caused by recent Turkish aggression.

Larigakis thanked the Georgetown Hellenic Association and the Georgetown Hellenic Association Co-President Antonia Sames, for organizing and hosting the presentation.