NEW YORK – Konstantinos Konstantinou, who has served as Consul General of Greece in New York since August 2022, issued a farewell message as he prepares to depart for his next assignment, Ambassador of Greece to the Czech Republic. He declared, among other things, that “serving the esteemed Greek-American community in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania has been an especially distinct honor.”

He was born in Athens in 1972 and has been a member of the Hellenic Diplomatic Service since 1999. From 2000 to 2002, he served at the Political Department Directorate for European Countries in the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2002 to 2005 he was a member of the Embassy of Greece in Washington, DC, serving both at the political and consular sections.

From 2006-2008 he had the honor to serve in the Diplomatic Cabinet of the Prime Minister of Greece the time, Kostas Karamanlis. He was appointed political Counsellor and Consul at the Embassy of Greece in Buenos Aires, serving from 2008 to 2012. From 2014 to 2018 he served as the Consul General of Greece in São Paulo, the only Greek General Consulate in Brazil.

In Athens from 2012 to 2014 he served at the Political Department for Cyprus, dealing with all aspects of this top priority issue for Greece, and in 2018 he had a vast portfolio at the Political Department for Arab Countries & the Middle East.

Consul General Konstantinou graduated from the Moraitis School in 1990 and studied Private International Law at Paris II Panthéon-Assas University of Sorbonne. He speaks fluent English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.Has been a dedicated runner and has participated in 17 Marathons, including the 2013 Boston Marathon, while he is also a former Youth Champion in Tennis (1983-1985).

Konstantinou’s farewell message follows:

“Dear fiends,

As my tenure as Consul General of Greece in New York draws to a close, I reflect on what has been a relatively brief yet extraordinary journey, filled with countless memories and shared experiences that I will treasure always. It has been my enduring pride to represent Greece abroad, but serving the esteemed Greek-American community in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania has been an especially distinct honor.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to my dedicated team. Despite being small, its unwavering commitment and tireless efforts in assisting every citizen with their needs have been instrumental in fulfilling our primary mission of providing exemplary consular services (first Greek Consulate in the world to open on Saturdays!).

What unites us all is a profound love for Greece and the values it embodies. My vision has been to transform the Consulate into a source of ethnic pride and unity, cultural inspiration, and a professional hub, fostering relationships and building bridges between Greece and the diverse communities that call New York home, especially for the younger generations.

Albert Einstein once said: “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” I sincerely hope that, in some way, I have been of value to the communities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

My next professional assignment will take me to Prague, where I have been appointed as the Ambassador of Greece to the Czech Republic. I wish you all health, prosperity, joy, and creativity in your lives.”