WASHINGTON, DC – The Daughters of Penelope (DOP) and Embassy of Greece hosted ‘A Tribute to Greek-American Women’ at the Embassy of Greece, Washington, DC, November 3.

The panel featured ECOS President and CEO Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks and Professor Artemis Leontis, who is the C.P. Cavafy Professor of Modern Greek and Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan. The discussion examined the roles of Greek-American women in society, past and present. DOP Executive Director Elena Skardis Saviolakis moderated the discussion and the Q&A session with the audience that followed.

“We sincerely thank our excellent expert panelists, who spoke insightfully about the roles Greek-American women have played,” DOP Grand President Georgette Boulegeris said. “They identified and shared the challenges they experienced on their personal journeys in life, and in their careers, and how they overcame them.”

Ambassador of Greece to the U.S. Alexandra Papadopoulou, who is the first female Greek ambassador to the U.S., and DOP Grand President Boulegeris, greeted and welcomed the audience.

Saviolakis collaborated with the embassy’s cultural attaché, Connie Mourtoupalas, to organize the event, which also featured a reception hosted by the Embassy of Greece.

“We also appreciate Ambassador Papadopoulou and Cultural Attaché Mourtoupalas for being exceptional hosts and collaborators, and Executive Director Saviolakis, for moderating and organizing,” Boulegeris said. “We aim to continue organizing these types of inspirational panels for the community that demonstrate the ‘Power of We’.”

Ambassador Papadopoulou also hosted a private dinner at her residence on November 2, to kick-off the event.

For more information about the DOP, or any of its programs or projects, please visit www.daughtersofpenelope.org.