The president of The East Mediterranean Business Cultural Alliance (EMBCA), Mr. Lou Katsos, on Thursday evening, November 3, 2022, gave a speech at "The Russian Tea Room" in the heart of Manhattan reception in honor of New York Philhellenic federal congresswoman "Americsa's Bouboulina" Carolyn Maloney.
The event was attended by the Archbishop of America, Mr. Elpidophoros, the owner of HDN Evageline Plakas, Andrea Catsimatidis, Dr. Demetrios Markouizos, Madeleine Joelson, Eftihia Pylarinou-Piper, Loula Alafogianni, Victor Bolanos, Maria Kalafatis, Gregory Tsougranis and Constantine Frangopoulos, Gregory Tsougranis and many others.
The honoree was introduced by Mr. Lou Katsos, who referred to her achievements both during the period she served on the New York City Council from 1983 to 1993, as well as during her fifteen total terms in Congress.
Congresswoman Maloney is the Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic issues, a bipartisan coalition of Members to focus on key diplomatic, military, and economic issues for Greece and Cyprus and has been lovingly nicknamed “Bouboulina” by Hellenic Americans, after one of the Heroines of the Hellenic Revolution. We especially honor her many achievements on issues of concern to the U.S. and Eastern Mediterranean Partnership member allied nations the United States, Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. Her fight for freedom, democracy, and human rights especially for the ethnic and religious freedom of minorities, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople are to be commended, as have been her extraordinary efforts relating to Cyprus, for the justice and peaceful resolution to the illegal Turkish invasion and occupation of Northern Cyprus.
We thank her for her steadfast fight for the issues of concern to the Hellenic American community and her efforts for the peace and security of the Hellenic Republic especially against the military threats in the Aegean, where Hellenic Islands are facing threats from an aggressive neighbor the Turkish Republic through its current leader President Erdogan. She led her colleagues in Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues and Intervened against Turkish aggression and violations in the airspace and waterways of Greece especially to protect territorial sovereignty of the EU’s eastern and southern borders and promote the rule of law.
Thank you all for joining us today as we salute and say "Thank You" to Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney for excellence in American leadership and her achievements in public service in Congress as an advocate for freedom, democracy, civil rights, women's rights and human rights.
Her career has been a series of firsts. Congresswoman Maloney was the first woman to represent New York City's 7th Council district and also the first woman to chair Congress’s Joint Economic Committee, one of four standing joint committees of the U.S. Congress.
She became the first woman to chair the House Committee on Oversight and Reform which leads subcommittees in: National Security, Government Operations, Economic and Consumer Policy, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Environment
First elected to Congress in 1992, Carolyn B. Maloney is a recognized progressive national leader with extensive accomplishments on financial services, national security, the economy, and women’s issues. Govtrack.us scored Carolyn Maloney first for "Leadership" among House Democrats, based on sponsoring the most bills. New York City has had no stronger advocate in Congress. She has delivered more than $10 billion in federal aid to New York City, including billions of dollars for the two largest transit construction projects in the nation, the Second Avenue Subway and the East Side Access project, both of which run through her district, and have helped create thousands of jobs in New York with those and many other projects she has secured federal funding for.
Congresswoman Maloney authored landmark legislation including Never Forget the Heroes Act and James Zadroga 9/11 Health Care and Compensation Act, to provide permanent health care and compensation for 9/11 first responders, residents and workers near Ground Zero where the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox and National Shrine has been completed.
She is the author of the Smithsonian Women’s History Museum Act creating a new museum in Washington, D.C. to document the remarkable history of American Women, and the author of many more pieces of congressional legislation.
Carolyn is the Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic issues, a bipartisan coalition of Members to focus on key diplomatic, military, and economic issues for Greece and Cyprus and has been lovingly nicknamed “Bouboulina” by Hellenic Americans, after one of the Heroines of the Hellenic Revolution. We especially honor her many achievements on issues of concern to the U.S. and Eastern Mediterranean Partnership member allied nations : the United States, Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. Her fight for freedom, democracy, and human rights especially for the ethnic and religious freedom of minorities, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople are to be commended, as have been her extraordinary efforts relating to Cyprus, for the justice and peaceful resolution to the illegal Turkish invasion and occupation of Northern Cyprus.
We thank her for her steadfast fight for the issues of concern to the Hellenic American community and her efforts for the peace and security of the Hellenic Republic especially against the military threats in the Aegean, where Hellenic Islands are facing threats from an aggressive neighbor the Turkish Republic through its current leader President Erdogan. She led her colleagues in Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues and Intervened against Turkish aggression and violations in the airspace and waterways of Greece especially to protect territorial sovereignty of the EU’s eastern and southern borders and promote the rule of law.
On behalf of EMBCA, the East Mediterranean Business Culture Alliance, I would also like to thank her for her participation in EMBCA’s Hellenic Revolution BiCentennial Committee which documented not only America’s philhellenic involvement in the Hellenic Revolution of 1821 but also the impact of the Hellenic Revolution on the American Abolitionist and Women's Rights movements.
She is to be acknowledged and commended for her heroism in fighting for the Return of the Parthenon Acropolis Marbles to the birthplace of Democracy - Hellas.
We are happy to have this opportunity to thank her for being a champion of shared Hellenic and American values of freedom, democracy, human rights , the rule of law and religious freedom.
We expect to continue to work together with her as she transitions from her role in Congress as there is much more work left to be done and chapters in her book of achievements in American Leadership.
Philotimo is a Hellenic word that comes to mind when thinking about Congresswoman Maloney and whose etymology comes from the classical words PHILO which we know is an aspect of LOVE, and TIMOS which means Honor. It is best translated as LOVE OF HONOR, which means showing respect, appreciation and love to honor those who are worthy. AXIA is another word that comes to mind for the worthiness of an individual. Her Philotimo requires that we give tribute to honor her who is more than worthy of our respect, admiration and love. Join me in repeating AXIA, AXIA, AXIA to thank our Bouboulina, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. AXIA, AXIA, AXIA ..
