04-R 144

2004 -- S 2982

Enacted 03/23/04

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

CELEBRATING MARCH 25, 2004 AS THE 183RD ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Introduced By: Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis

Date Introduced: March 23, 2004

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

reclaimed its ancient heritage as the “Cradle of Democracy” by throwing off 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 reinstituted a democratic form of government; and

     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 to

the world, thus 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 Founding Fathers of the United States of America drew heavily upon

the political experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our representative

democracy; and

     WHEREAS, The founders of the modern Greek state modeled their government after that

of the United States in an effort to best imitate their ancient democracy; and

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

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

this century; and

     WHEREAS, It is proper and desirable to celebrate with the Greek people and to reaffirm

the democratic principles from which our two great nations were born; and

     WHEREAS, Twenty-five hundred years ago, Olympia, Greece, the ancient sacred city in

western Greece, was the location for the Olympic games. The games were a religious event that

honored the Greek God Zeus. In 1896, Athens, Greece became the location for the revival of the

ancient Olympic games, and began the first celebration of what we know today as the

"Olympics." Greece, the birthplace of the immortal Olympic spirit, is once again proudly hosting

the 2004 Athens Olympic Games in Athens; and

     WHEREAS, The state of Rhode Island extends its congratulations to Konstantinos

Karamanlis, the newly elected Prime Minister of Greece; and

     WHEREAS, The United States and Greece have joined forces, working together to

ensure the safety of all Olympic athletes during the 2004 Olympic games; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby celebrates March 25, 2004 as the 183rd Anniversary of Greek Independence 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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LC02984

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