RETHYMNO – The former president of the Cretans Association of New York ‘Omonoia’, Nikos Kastrinakis, was elected President of the World Council of Cretans in the elections held August 10 in the city of Rethymno in Crete.

The new Board of Directors was also elected to serve along with President Kastrinakis, including Vice President Fotis Fiotodimitrakis (USA), Secretary Maria Vamvakis (USA), Treasurer Bianca Pigounakis (USA), and members Nikos Markogiannakis, Manolis Mountakis, and Mary Ritsakis (Oceania), Vangelis Vourvahakis and George Olofson (Europe), and also Athena Kastrinaki and Theodoros Tsontos from Greece.

The general assembly began with welcoming remarks by the outgoing president of the Council, Nikos Markogiannakis of Australia. Earlier, His Eminence Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos led the traditional opening prayer. Afterwards, the official guests who graced the event with their presence shared their greetings. Among them, Metropolitan Prodromos, PASOK – Movement for Change MP of Rethymno Manolis Chnaris, Rethymno Mayor Georgios Marinakis, and Regional Councilor Michalis Sarris, representing Regional Governor of Crete Stavros Arnaoutakis.

Also among those present were Chania Regional Councilor Sofia Malandraki, National Research Foundation ‘Eleftherios Venizelos’ Director Nikolaos Papadakis, Orthodox Academy of Crete General Director Dr. Konstantinos Zormpas, Maritime Museum of Crete Chairman Manolis Petrakis, Cretan House of Athens Treasurer Konstantinos Kozyrakis, as well as the former presidents of the World Council of Cretans, Antonis Tsourdalakis, Manolis Velivasakis, and Manolis Kougioumtzis.

“Our vision and our compass is to translate the power of Cretans everywhere into useful work, beneficial work for our Crete, for our Federations, our Associations and our fellow citizens in Greece and abroad,” said newly-elected World Council of Cretans President Kastrinakis, immediately after assuming his duties.

As he noted in his remarks, in order for this vision to bear fruit and become a reality, actions are needed, focused especially on three areas, the younger generation, culture, and cooperation.

Katstrinakis also thanked and expressed his gratitude to all those who have contributed to the existence of the World Council of Cretans, starting with the outgoing president, all the previous presidents and all the previous administrations, the federations on the three continents: America, Oceania, and Europe, and the Cretan associations in Athens, Piraeus, Macedonia, and South Africa. He expressed special gratitude to the Pancretan Association of America, to the president and the Board of Directors for the trust and for the honor of recommending him for his new position, as well as to the Cretans Association ‘Omonoia’ of New York, where he served as a past president.

During the general meeting, Kostas Kallergis was honored for his contributions over 20 years to the Council and received an honorary plaque from the outgoing president, Nikos Markogiannakis.