WASHINGTON, DC – During his visit to the United States this week that culminated in a historic address to a Joint Session of Congress, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed the guests at a dinner organized in his honor by representatives of Greek-American organizations in Washington, DC.

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, and the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Robert Menendez were among the Community and political notables present.

In his remarks Mitsotakis, he noted, among other things, that his government will not stop striving until “Greece becomes the modern state that we all deserve.”

The Greek prime minister noted that the most interesting development taking place in the country at the moment was the return of those who left during the years of economic crisis, adding that the reason was not only that there were now good jobs in the country and that unemployment is declining but primarily because the Greece’s long-term perspective is moving in the right direction.

Mitsotakis informed the guests that during his meeting with President Joe Biden he had the opportunity to underline the importance of bilateral relations within the framework of the new energy architecture in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Greece was now becoming a gateway to Europe for natural gas from the Middle East. He stressed that during the 200 years since the Revolution of 1821 there have been many difficult moments for the Hellenic Republic but that it came out stronger as it has always been on the right side of history.

The Prime Minister concluded by saying, “thank you for your support; today is a special day for Greece, Cyprus, you have every reason to feel proud and I feel proud.”

Also during the event, Mitsotakis awarded medals to 12 prominent Greek-Americans for their contributions to Greece.

The recipients included Supreme President of the Order of AHEPA Jimmy Kokotas on behalf of the organization that is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, Michael Karloutsos on behalf of his father Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Rev. Alexander Karloutsos, businessmen and grand benefactors Angelos Tsakopoulos and George Behrakis, Executive Director of HALC Endy Zemenides, Marina Hatsopoulos representing her family of entrepreneurs and philanthropists, Consul General of Greece in New York Dr. Konstantinos Koutras on behalf of New York University Provost Katherine Fleming, Consul General of Greece in Boston Stratos Efthymiou for retired Greek-American U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe, and Consul General of Greece in San Francisco Socrates Sourvinos on behalf of noted businessman and philanthropist George Marcus.

A close colleague received an award on behalf of Congressman Mike Bilirakis, Co-Chair of the Hellenic Caucus on Capitol Hill. Dr. George Pavlakis and Constantine Manos received awards as organizers of the event.

Material from the ANA-MPA was used for this article.