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The Greek Heritage Parade took place in Chicago on May 22. Photo: Consulate of Greece in Chicago
CHICAGO – The heart of Chicago was dressed again in blue and white for the Greek Heritage Parade on May 22. Three years since the last parade celebrated Greek Independence, the Greek-American community of the city took to the streets again to honor its national heritage and the Greek colors.
“It is a great joy that we all gathered again with friends, acquaintances that we had not seen for three years and we were given the opportunity because it was a fantastic day with great temperatures and sunshine,” Federation of Hellenic American Organizations of Illinois (Enosis) President Kostas Chaniotakis told The National Herald, noting the great turnout compared to previous years.
The Pan Arcadian Federation of America float in the Greek Heritage Parade in Chicago on May 22. Photo: Consulate of Greece in Chicago
“I think the energy and the participation of the people was greater than any other year. I do not remember so many people participating and this has been the general impression shared by many,” said Chaniotakis.
This year the organizing committee made a series of changes which seem to have revitalized the parade even more, helping to increase the participation, and more directly connecting the event with the heart of Greektown. At the same time, apart from the change in the route of the parade, the venue for the morning reception also changed, with the National Hellenic Museum selected – for practical and symbolic reasons.
Left to right: Greek Heritage Parade Grand Marshal Andre Papantoniou, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and Consul General of Greece in Chicago Emmanuel Koubarakis. Photo: Consulate of Greece in Chicago
“The reception in the morning at the Museum – instead of a restaurant where we used to gather – gave the event another air. We met and then walked right out of the museum and started the parade,” said Chaniotakis.
Grand Marshals of the parade were Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost and M.E. Van Valkenburg Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Dr. Andreas C. Cangellaris, and Pan Arcadian Federation of America President and CEO of Olympia Foods Andre Papantoniou. Among those present were Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel Chris Welch, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Chicago alderman Walter Burnett, Consul General of Greece in Chicago Emmanuel Koubarakis and Consul Georgia Tasiopoulou.
Among those participating in the Greek Heritage Parade in Chicago were Grand Marshal Andre Papantoniou, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel Chris Welch, Alexi Giannoulias, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, Chicago alderman Walter Burnett, Consul General of Greece in Chicago Emmanuel Koubarakis, Consul Georgia Tasiopoulou, Marianna Spyropoulou and Iris Martinez. Photo: Consulate of Greece in Chicago
During the parade, a moment of silence was observed in memory of Petros Galatoulas, former president of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York who passed away on May 21. His efforts were referenced by former president of the Federation of Hellenic-American Societies of Philadelphia and Greater Delaware Valley Efstathios Karadonis during his speech.
The parade took place along Halsted Street from Van Buren to Madison Street in the center of Greektown.
The Greek Heritage Parade took place in Chicago on May 22. (Photo: Consulate of Greece in Chicago)The Greek Heritage Parade took place in Chicago on May 22. (Photo: Consulate of Greece in Chicago)The Greek Heritage Parade took place in Chicago on May 22. (Photo: Consulate of Greece in Chicago)
FALMOUTH, MA – The police in Falmouth have identified the victim in an accident involving a car plunging into the ocean on February 20, NBC10 Boston reported.
PHILADELPHIA – The Federation of Hellenic Societies of Philadelphia and Greater Delaware Valley announced that the Evzones, the Presidential Guard of Greece will be participating in the Philadelphia Greek Independence Day Parade on March 20.
O oceanic you sing and sail
White on your body and yellow on your chimeneas
For you're tired of the filthy waters of the harbors
You who loved the distant Sporades
You who lifted the tallest flags
You who sail clear through the most dangerous caves
Hail to you who let yourself be charmed by the sirens
Hail to you for never having been afraid of the Symplegades
(Andreas Empeirikos)
What traveler has not been fascinated by the Greek islands, drawn by the Sirens’ song of a traveler’s dreams?
TNH and our video show ‘Mission’ marked the change of the season by transporting viewers into the heart of summer.
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