2021 -- S 0694

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING MARCH 25, 2021, AS THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK

INDEPENDENCE DAY AND CELEBRATING DEMOCRACY IN GREECE AND THE

UNITED STATES

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Gallo, Euer, Kallman, Algiere, Ruggerio, Lombardi,
Seveney, DiPalma, Coyne, and Anderson

     Date Introduced: March 18, 2021

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, On March 25, 1821, the Feast Day of the Annunciation, the Greek nation

reclaimed its ancient heritage as the "Cradle of Democracy" by overthrowing the yoke of

oppression which had enslaved its people since the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Conquered by

the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century, Greece waged a successful war of Independence (1821-

1829) and re-instituted a democratic form of government; and

     WHEREAS, The People of the United States generously offered humanitarian assistance

to the Greek people during their struggle for independence; and

     WHEREAS, The price for the people of Greece to hold onto their common values in their

region was high, as hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed in Greece during World War

II; and

     WHEREAS, Greece is one of only three nations in the world, beyond the former British

Empire, that has been allied with the United States in every major international conflict over the

last 100 years; and

     WHEREAS, Greece, located in a region where Christianity meets Islam and Judaism,

maintains excellent relations with Muslim nations and Israel, and demonstrates religious

tolerance; and

     WHEREAS, The Ancient Macedonians were Hellenes and the northern Province of

Greece, Macedonia and the Hellenic descendants; and

     WHEREAS, Greece and the United States are at the forefront of the effort for freedom,

democracy, peace, stability, and human rights; and

     WHEREAS, Many American Philhellenes participated and fought in the Greek War of

Independence. One such individual was George Wilson from Providence, Rhode Island, who

served as a gunman in the Greek fleet, most notably in the battle against the Turkish navy in

Nafpaktos Bay, Greece; and

     WHEREAS, The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Greece on

October 4, 2019, where he met with Greek leaders and together they signed the Mutual Defense

Corporation Agreement MDCA); and

     WHEREAS, Turkey has continued to destabilize the Aegean Sea and the Eastern

Mediterranean Sea region. As a result, Greece, Israel and Cyprus have formed a trilateral

cooperation agreement against the aggressive regional policies of Turkey. Each country’s strong

relationship with the United States, as well as the prospect of an Eastern Mediterranean pipeline

enabling safe transmission of gas to Western Europe are critical to security and energy stability.

Passage of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 will facilitate

energy and security cooperation between the United States, Greece, Cyprus and Israel; and

     WHEREAS, A high-level review of the United States-Greece Strategic Dialogue took

place in Greece on September 28, 2020, which underscored Greece’s importance to the United

States as a geostrategic partner in the Eastern Mediterranean and Balkans and as an important

NATO ally; and

     WHEREAS, In support of the Greece 2021 Committee established by the Government of

Greece, the United States Mission in Greece has launched a campaign to celebrate the

bicentennial of the Independence of Greece and the 200 years of friendship between the United

States and Greece; and

     WHEREAS, It is proper and desirable for the United States to celebrate this Anniversary

with the Greek people and to reaffirm the democratic principles from which these two great

nations were born; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby celebrates March 25,

2021, as the 200th Anniversary of Greek Independence, reaffirms Rhode Island’s abiding

commitment to the magnificent principles of democracy and religious freedom, and urges Turkey

to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of

Cranston, the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church of Pawtucket, the St. Spyridon Greek

Orthodox Church of Newport, members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation, the

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Honorable Stratos Efthymiou, Consul General of the Hellenic Republic in Boston, Archbishop

Elpidophoros of the Greek Archdiocese of America.

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