Over 100 of the top Greek-American and Cypriot-American leaders from across the country, and Hellenes from around the world, will be in Washington, D.C. May 20-22, 2009 for the 25th Annual Cyprus and Hellenic Leadership Conference hosted by PSEKA (The International Coordinating Committee "Justice for Cyprus") and the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes.

“At this crucial time for Cyprus settlement efforts, conference participants will again be meeting with over 30 key U.S. Senators and Members of Congress who serve on the pertinent committees and subcommittees and others who play a major role in the formulation of these matters,” said Philip Christopher, President of PSEKA. “They will also be meeting with high-level administration officials in charge of U.S. policy toward Cyprus, Greece and Turkey.” At previous conferences participants have met with Presidents, Vice Presidents, cabinet members and senior officials.

This year, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Assistant Senate Majority Leader and close friend of President Barack Obama, will receive the Paraskevaides Award and George and Cathy Sakellaris, a Massachusetts powerhouse couple, will be honored with the Livanos Award.

Richard Joseph "Dick" Durbin is the senior US Senator from Illinois and Majority Whip, the second highest position in the Democratic Party leadership in the Senate. In April 2006, Time magazine listed him as one of "America's 10 Best Senators." Earlier this year, he led a delegation to Cyprus, Greece and Turkey in an attempt to have first hand knoweledge in an array of issues the area is facing.

Entrepreneur George Sakellaris had a vision of creating an energy company that had the skills, capabilities and foresight to create energy solutions that went beyond just conservation. As a result he founded Ameresco in April 2000. Mr. Sakellaris was also appointed to be a Senior Vice President of a Fortune 500 Energy Company and he served as a founding member of the National Association of Energy Service Companies. Together with his wife Cathy are involved in a series of philanthropic, cultural and social activities that have brought them at the forefront of civic life as exemplary citizens.

The participants at this year’s PSEKA conference include Congressmen Ed Royce (R-CA) and Russ Carnahan (D-MO), both members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee who just visited Cyprus, Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) of the Senate Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and New York State Assemblyman Mike Gianaris. Both, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Kerry (D-MA), and the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA), are also expected to address the conference.

The delegation from Cyprus will include the Mayors of Famagusta, Alexis Galanos, Lefkoniko, Michalis Pilikos, and Akanthou, Savvas Savvides, as well as the Director of Overseas Cypriots Charalambos Ioannides.

The International Coordinating Committee "Justice for Cyprus", also known as PSEKA, was founded in 1975 by the late President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios. The organization, with headquarters in Nicosia, Cyprus, has chapters all over the world. Its North American headquarters are located in New York City. Today PSEKA is staffed by professionals and volunteers working together in cities all over the United States and Canada. Over the last few years, PSEKA and its Board of Directors has begun a push via the Internet, to raise awareness over the plight of the people of Cyprus.

“Our mission remains the pursuit of a just and viable solution to the Cyprus Problem, which will see the people of Cyprus free from the tyranny of an invading force - that of the Turkish Armed Forces - which occupies over 35% of its territory,” explains Philip Christopher. “While the history of the conflict between Turkey and Cyprus is rooted in the 60's and 70's, the repercussions of that conflict has definitely spilled over to the new millenium.”

Today, the Cyprus Problem remains the only source of military and political tension in the southern sphere of influence of Europe and the Balkans region. “We will never forget, we will never cease. Our mission is to see Cyprus free of occupying forces. This is a fate its people, both Greek and Turk deserve,” Christopher pointed out, himself a refugee from the occupied port city of Kyreneia.