NEW YORK – Deputy Minister for the Diaspora Greeks Andreas Katsaniotis visited the offices of The National Herald on November 1 along with Consul General of Greece in New York Konstantinos Koutras ahead of a reception in honor of Katsaniotis at Kyma Hudson Yards in Manhattan that evening.

While at TNH’s offices, Katsaniotis met with TNH co-editor/co-publisher Eraklis Diamataris and advisor to the publishers Antonis H. Diamataris. He shared his thoughts on the Greek-American community which he noted “is a living Greek community that is a bridge in Greece’s relations with the U.S. The community has done well and progressed, but never forgets the homeland.”

The reception at Kyma Hudson Yards in honor of Deputy Minister Katsaniotis was kindly offered by Atlantic Bank President Nancy Papaioannou. Consul General of Greece in New York Konstantinos Koutras gave the welcoming remarks and introduced Katsaniotis, noting that he has many plans for the diaspora Greeks not only in the U.S., but around the world. Koutras also thanked Papaioannou for not only the reception but for all her efforts including helping the Consulate in New York with its payment system.

Papaioannou spoke briefly as well, noting that it was an honor to have Ambassador Papadopoulou present and that bringing everyone together was also possible due to the efforts of Consul General Koutras, who through all these years, has shown us what we Greeks can accomplish together. She mentioned as an example of Greeks working together, the restaurant, Kyma, the third one opened by the owners, “who make us all proud as a community.”

Papaioannou also noted that Atlantic Bank has always stood by the Greek community since its founding in 1926, helping the Greek immigrants then, and pointing out that the Greek community has helped Atlantic Bank continue to the present day.

Ambassador Papadopoulou in her remarks said that Katsaniotis is well-known in political circles and though this is his first visit to New York in his new role as Deputy Minister for the Diaspora Greeks, he is very familiar with New York and will do his best to help the community with their concerns and issues. She added that the Greeks of the diaspora are an integral part of Greece and have to be close to the homeland and the Deputy Minister will keep the community as close as possible to Greece.

Katsaniotis thanked Papadopoulou and Koutras for their kind words and spoke warmly about the Greek community and how lucky we are to have Ambassador Papadopoulou and Consul General Koutras who are exemplars in their positions along with the members of their staff. He added that he is also lucky to come to New York ahead of the Thyranoixia at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, presided over by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on November 2, to meet all those present at the reception, “a group of people who make us all proud.”

He continued, “for me to see the Greeks of the diaspora progressing and evolving, moving beyond the works of those of the past, the third and fourth generations of Greeks in America on their journey and very successfully, too, that is significant for me, that we continue, we progress, and we are a bridge between Greece and the United States and we must remain and help the relationship of Greece outside of Greece, greater Greece is you, beyond Greece’s borders. Greece is not defined by geography, it is an idea, philotimo, and many other things together. I feel truly proud to be here among you, thank you all for being here, and I hope to speak to each of you one on one later on, thank you.”

Among those at the reception were AHEPA Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas, AHEPA Executive Director Basil Mossaidis and his wife Jeannette, AHEPA Hellenic Cultural Commission Chairman, Empire State District 6 Governor and EMBCA founder and president Louis Katsos, AHEPA Chairman of the Board Nicholas Karacostas, Dr. George Tsioulias, Popita Pavli, Cultural Attache and Public Relations Officer at the Consulate in New York Evelyn Kanellea, Chef Maria Loi, New York University Provost Katherine Fleming, and Hellenic Film Society USA president Jimmy DeMetro.