Words of Hope, Inspiration, and Renewed Faith for the Future of the Republic of Cyprus Resonated at the 2024 Federation of Cypriot American Organizations Testimonial Dinner

On Friday, September 27^th, The Federation of Cypriot American Organizations (FCAO) held its annual Testimonial Dinner at Terrace on the Park in Corona, Queens, honoring Executive Chairman of the Libra Group and Libra Philanthropies, George Logothetis with the Philanthropic Award, and Supreme President of AHEPA Savas Tsivicos with the Justice for Cyprus Award. Serving as Honorary Chairpersons were Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.  Several other prominent members of the Greek and Cypriot-Greek communities were also in attendance including Rhode Island State Senator Leonidas Raptakis, PSEKA President Phillip Christopher, First Lady of the Republic of Cyprus Phillipa Karsera-Christodoulides, Cyprus Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, Cyprus Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos, US Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus  Evangelos Savva, Ambassador and Political Director of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thessalia Shambou, Greek Cyrpiot Negotiator Menalaos Menelaou, Director of the Diplomatic Office of the President Doros Venezis, Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN Evangelos Sekeris, Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN Maria Michail, Executive Director of the OXI Day Foundation Mike Manatos, Consul General of Greece in New York Iphigenia Kara, NY State Assemblyman Michael Tannoussis, Consul General of Cyprus Michalis Firillas, President of the American Hellenic Institute Nick Larigakis, and Nikos Kastrinakis, President of the Venizelos Foundation USA and the World Council of Cretans.

The Justice for Cyprus Award received by the Supreme President of AHEPA Mr. Savas C. Tsivicos. From left, Kyriakos Papastylianou, President of the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations, President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, the honoree and Archbishop Elpidophoros – PHOTO: ETA PRESS

Welcoming Remarks were provided by Cypriot-American and LA based journalist Rania Aniftos, who also served as the Mistress of Ceremonies, followed by the invocation given by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. The Greek and American National anthems were performed by Greek-American singer Annette Artani.

Kyriakos Papastylianou, President of the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations, gave the opening greetings and thanked all the members of the community and commented on how the “diaspora continues to blossom” because of the generosity expressed and hard work put forth: “This evening we not only recognize your achievement, but we also express our gratitude for your unwavering support. Each of you exemplify resilience, unity and a passion for our heritage that inspires all.”

The Mistress of Ceremonies Ms. Rania Aniftos who is a Billboard Correspondent – PHOTO: ETA PRESS

Phillip Christopher, President of of the International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA) followed this sentiment with his remarks as he welcomed the President Christodoulides: “Even though it’s been 50 years since the dark anniversary (of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus), this community, Mr. President, is united. They are all here to welcome you, because we feel you are a part of us. You are a person who lived in NY, went to school in NY, and we welcome you, and we congratulate you for your passion, for your hard work… this administration has changed the image of Cyprus from being a Russian laundry mat to being the bridge of humanitarian aid to Gaza and to the Middle East. It changed the image of Cyprus to being a strong, true corner of the United States and that makes us as Greek-Americans very proud.  We are very proud as Greek-Americans that Greece is a strong NATO member and a strong ally of the United States, and it is important that we, as Greek-Americans, also feel that Cyprus is a strong corner of the Unites States of America.  After all, we are all descendants from the birthplace of democracy… we demand the same democratic principles and ideals that we live here in the United States that they come true for Cyprus.”  He then acknowledged and congratulated the exceptional honorees that were being honored.

The Philanthropic Award of the Cyprus Federation was received by Mr. George Logothetis, Executive Chairman of Libra Group and Chairman of the Libra Philanthropies – PHOTO: ETA PRESS

Archbishop Elpidophoros was invited up to the podium to give his remarks, emphasizing solidarity in remembrance of the cause, the mission of peace, and the mission of justice in Cyprus. He commented on what a distinct honor it was for him to be with the President of the Republic of Cyprus as “an important reminder of the responsibility of the church in America, the Hellenes and the Philhellenes, to use all its influence to bring the issues around Cyprus into constant focus.” He also commented on how deeply moved he was to be at the AHEPA convention in Cyprus this past summer, with many of the members present in the room. He stated that the reason everyone was gathered there that evening was for “the righteous cause of Cyprus and the fifty-year delay in finding a just and equitable solution.  In the awards that are being shared with tonight’s honorees, we are giving recognition not only to deserving individuals of extraordinary substance, but to the organizations and enterprises that they lead, who symbolize the aspirations of everyone in this room.”  He then acknowledged the great accomplishments of the two honorees that evening.  He emphasized the remarkable work that honoree George Logothetis did in Greece with his company Libra Group and Libra philanthropies. “During the worst years of the economic catastrophe it was like a simple institution of Marshall Plan to which initiatives Libra, under George’s guiding hand, rebuilt hope – hope in the land of economic despair. George remains a global leader of Hellenism and he always brings a level of excellence to every endeavor in Greece he engages in”.  In his closing remarks, he gave a special tribute to honoree Savas Tsivicos, Supreme President of the Order of AHEPA, by pointing out that “there is not one Cypriot in America who does not know his name. His passion for the cause of Cyprus precedes him every turn and with his assuming the Supreme Presidency of AHEPA he has redoubled his efforts for justice and peace.  The Justice of Cyprus Award could not be a more perfect expression of recognition in his lifelong devotion to the cause”.

Philip Christopher – PHOTO: ETA PRESS

President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides then took the stage, and spoke passionately about his connection with Greek-American diaspora, which goes back to his days as a student at Queens College.  He expressed his pride at the “persistent and selfless efforts” of the Greek Cypriot diaspora to represent our interests and concerns to the Unites States and beyond. He praised the work that has been done collectively: “This past year we have made it evidently clear that Cyprus can fully contribute to the prevalence of security and stability at a regional level by providing solutions to issues of wider interest. We have sent a clear signal of actions and not just words that Cyprus can be a predictable and reliable partner of the United States and eastern Mediterranean – a partner that it’s primary focus is the promotion and preservation of peace and stability through tangible actions.” He pointed out that Cyprus and US relations “are at the best points they have ever been.” He noted that by providing assistance to Gaza, Cyprus fulfilled a moral obligation and has highlighted its role in promoting stability in a very challenging region. He also noted that the Republic of Cyprus was celebrating 20 years of membership into the European Union and emphasized that Cyprus is not part of the problem but part of the solution, as a “country that is a force of peace and stability, a humanitarian facilitator, a country that assumes its moral responsibilities and aspires to a brighter future for our region…paving more milestones in the years to come.” He then congratulated the honorees. He acknowledged Savas Tsivicos for his lifelong devotion to advocating for the reunification of Cyprus and the restoration of human rights for all Cypriots and George Logothetis, who grew up in North London among the Cypriot community, for his commitment to the community and Hellenism through leadership that reflects the Hellenic values of education, philanthropy, responsibility, and individual excellence through community service. He concluded that with an organized Cypriot diaspora, the focus should be on three fundamental goals – engagement, empowerment, and connectivity – with the youth of the Cypriot diaspora at the forefront.

Members of the Board of Trustees of Cyprus Children’s Fund with the First Lady of Cyprus Philippa Karsera – PHOTO: ETA PRESS

The presentation of awards followed with even more inspiring remarks of hope and a restoration of faith in humanity and justice.  Savas Tsivicos was presented with the The Justice of Cyprus award, an honor that bestows great recognition to an individual who advocates for the just and noble cause of the liberation and reunification of Cyprus, and the restoration of human rights for all Cypriots. Savas Tsivicos is an emblem of this fight for justice. He humbly accepted the award and noted that many in the room that evening were worthy of this honor. He was deeply grateful. He was one of the founders of the award and never considered that thirty years later, he would be the recipient of an award he helped to create. He noted that “it’s a special moment in serving the Cyprus Federation of America for almost forty years, and I’m glad that this organization continues to lead and continues to serve the community.”  He also noted that we often get discouraged when we don’t see tangible results in the fight for the liberation of Cyprus, but he reassured all that action is the key to effective results, rather than wondering without effort. He emphasized that for the first time in fifty years, the relationship between the US and Cyprus is at an all-time high, citing a big milestone in that relationship: “Two weeks ago Cyprus and the United States signed a strategic alliance which is not normal for the United States to sign agreements with non-NATO members.” He acknowledged the efforts of the President of Cyprus and his administration in their efforts “to make Cyprus useful and necessary for the first time.”  In a profound statement, he emphasized that justice was not so much about justice, but about interests, and that when opportunity presents itself, you have to seize that opportunity, especially with “the latest developments in the eastern Mediterranean area we can be hopeful and continue to lead, and show that Cyprus can be a very important player” toward a functional and viable solution.

George Logothetis, Executive Chairman of Libra Group and Chairman of the Libra Philanthropies – PHOTO: ETA PRESS

Washington DC Lobbyist and Executive Director of the OXI Day Foundation Mike Manatos introduced honoree George Logothetis who was being awarded the Philanthropic Award, emphasizing the outstanding achievements of the Libra Group which has assets and operations across sixty countries on six continents. He noted that George took over his family’s shipping company when he was 19 years old and within ten years helped it grow from a fleet of three vessels to fifty-five, and, at 28 he founded Libra Group, “which is the true depth and breadth of George’s philanthropy… George has taken philanthropy to a whole new level. George has utilized the strength of Libra’s global network to support human potential and deliver growth for good. He redefined philanthropy by creating innovative programs and supporting change-makers, tackling many of the world’s most complex challenges.  Most importantly he created opportunities that did not exist for the unseen and overlooked. After more than decade of providing hope and opportunity, Libra’s programming has touched more than 25 million people and 326 organizations in 183 countries.” He concluded his remarks by summing up the one Greek word that defines George, and that word was “philotimo”, a word that embodies in one individual the noble actions of duty, loyalty, integrity, honor, and love for humanity.

At the end of the Dinner, a group photo with the honored guests and the honorees and all members of the Boards of the Cyprus Federati – PHOTO: ETA PRESS

After being presented with the Philanthropy Award, George Logothetis, talked about how blessed and grateful he was, and that he was even more blessed and grateful to have been to places where there was the greatest pain and where evil triumphed. He honed in on the importance of philanthropy in his remarks.  He reflected on the key to happiness, which has less to do than what you have and where you are from. He asked two questions: “Do you love what you do and do you give more than you take?”  He noted that the key to happiness was the measure of looking into a person’s character: “You get to see people who have everything and have nothing, and then you get to see people who have nothing. Real philanthropy is giving without expecting to get anything back. It is not a transactional document where here is some money and I want x in return. That’s not philanthropy. That’s business. That’s PR. What we try to do in our philanthropic endeavors is to give freely and to not expect anything.” He talked about what inspired him. It was his anger at injustice that served as his inspiration, especially at how Greeks were negatively perceived globally during the economic crisis. He decided to do something about it. He realized you can either contribute to a problem or start contributing to the solution.  He decided to set up an internship program for 10 young kids, and 14 years later it takes 75 kids all around the world that changes the communities: “you need to take people out of their community, lift them, empower them, and then put them back, and that is the model of our internship program.”  There are young people from all over the world participating in this internship program with the goal of “weaponizing anger for the betterment and not allowing anger to corrode us into bitterness”. He talked about his wife and her own accomplishments in leading mental health efforts for women suffering with postpartum depression, as well as his own near death experience with bacterial meningitis, being in and out of hospitals throughout his life. He credited two Cypriot doctors who saved his life several times.  To that end, he pointed out that “freedom is not free.” He learned very early on that you cannot control what happens in your life, but you can control how you respond and react to adversity.  He mentioned his empathy for the Cypriot people and the pain they have gone through in the past 50 years, especially having heard the stories of those with whom he grew up in the Cypriot community in North London. He emphasized that “where there is no community, no leadership, no love that is where dark forces can grip.” His admiration for the Cypriot people was evident, as he spoke of their loyalty and strong work ethic. He recounted a story of how he met the former Governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus, Chrystalla Georghadij, who had to flee Farmagousta during the invasion.  She had to flee and not look back. The memories of Farmagousta were empty to her. She didn’t know what it was worse, feeling empty or full. She had no photos of her childhood.  He was fascinated by what she did with her life after that experience, by transforming a negative into a positive, to educate herself and become a leader for Cyprus. In his eyes, she represented the ethos of the Cypriot people: “That to me is the story of Cyprus. It’s overcoming adversity. It is being bold, brave, and courageous” and understanding the Greek expression of “kathe embodio gia kalo”, which translates in English to every challenge (or every difficulty) is for the best.

The evening was a true testament of hope, inspiration, and a call to action by an organization whose mission is to develop good relations and solidarity among its chapters, promote their goals, represent their interests, and coordinate their social, educational, philanthropic, and cultural activities.