Diaspora leaders head to Cyprus, Israel, Greece

A press release by the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) said that the trip begins on 10 January, in Jerusalem, Israel, continues in Nicosia, Cyprus, on 13 and 14 January and concludes in Athens, Greece, on 14-19 January.

“The four organisations will look to build upon its historic, initial groundbreaking three-country Leadership Mission that occurred January 2014, which the organisations hailed,” the announcement said.

AHI will be represented on the trip by President Nick Larigakis and Board Member Aleco Haralambides.

According to the press release, the strategic relationship between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel has evolved, helping to lend to stability in the eastern Mediterranean region.

The delegation of American Hellenic and American Jewish community leaders aims to explore the major political, economic (business and tourism), and security developments underway in the eastern Mediterranean with high-ranking government officials from each of the three countries and visits to military installations. The joint 12-member delegation also represents broad Diaspora support for the trilateral relationship.

The initiative represents the ongoing organisational cooperation between the American Hellenic and American Jewish communities.

The organisations that will be involved in the trip are as follows:

American Hellenic Institute (AHI)-  a Greek American public policy centre and think tank
American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA)- a leading membership-based grassroots association for American citizens of Hellenic heritage and Philhellenes
B’nai B’rith International- a worldwide Jewish community service organisation widely known as one of the world’s most influential humanitarian, human rights and advocacy organisations

Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations- a central coordinating body for Jewish Americans, representing 52 national Jewish agencies from across the political and religious spectrums