R 106

2003 -- H 6215

Enacted 03/20/03

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING MARCH 25, 2003 AS THE 182ND ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Introduced By: Representatives Fox, and Watson

Date Introduced: March 20, 2003

     WHEREAS, It was the genius of Greece which first ignited the flame of freedom in the

6th and 5th centuries B.C., when Athens introduced the idea of direct representative government,

in which the supreme power to govern was vested in the people; and

     WHEREAS, Greeks began their War of Independence from the four hundred year

oppression by the Ottoman Empire on March 25th, 1821 and the fighting continued until 1829

when the Ottomans accepted Greek Independence with the signing of the Treaty of Andrianople;

and

     WHEREAS, The Founding Fathers of the United States drew heavily on the political

experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our representative democracy; and

     WHEREAS, Widely regarded as the “cradle of democracy”, Greece was also responsible

for ushering in a Golden Age of art, architecture, philosophy and drama under such giants of

Western history as Pericles, Sophocles, Euripides, Socrates and Plato; and

     WHEREAS, The ancient Greeks established the Olympic Games, the largest display of

athletic skill and competitive spirit in the ancient world; and

     WHEREAS, Greeks who have immigrated to the United States, and their descendants

have made innumerable contributions to our Nation’s cultural, economic and political heritage;

and

     WHEREAS, Greeks and Americans share a love of freedom, liberty and individual rights

and the friendship between the nations is based on mutual respect, a commitment to common

goals and the sharing of fundamental values; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby celebrates March 25, 2003 as the 182nd Anniversary of Greek

Independence Day and reaffirms Rhode Island’s abiding commitment to the magnificent

principles of democracy; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he 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 and St. Spyridon Greek

Orthodox Church of Newport.

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LC02874

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