11-R164

2011 -- S 0805

Enacted 03/29/10

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

CELEBRATING MARCH 25, 2011, AS THE 190TH ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Paiva Weed, Ruggerio, Goodwin, and Algiere

Date Introduced: March 29, 2011

     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 Greece in holding onto our 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 only one of three nations in the world, beyond the former British

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

100 years; and

     WHEREAS, Greece was extraordinarily responsive to requests by the United States

during the war in Iraq, granting unlimited access to its airspace and its base in Souda Bay, and

refueling many ships of the United States that delivered troops, cargo, and supplies to Iraq; 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, Greece and the United States are at the forefront of the effort for freedom,

democracy, peace, stability, and human rights; and

     WHEREAS, Those and similar ideals have forged a close bond between Greece and the

United States and their peoples; and

     WHEREAS, March 25, 2011, Greek Independence Day, marks the 190th anniversary of

the beginning of the revolution that freed the Greek people from the Ottoman Empire and

celebrates the aspirations for democracy and tolerance that the peoples of Greece and the United

States share; and

     WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey refuses to recognize the rights and religious

freedoms of Ecumenical Patriarchate, the head of Greek Orthodox Christian Church, which is a

minority religion in Turkey; 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 and Providence Plantations

hereby celebrates March 25, 2011, as the 190th 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 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, the St. Spyridon Greek

Orthodox Church of Newport, the members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, and

Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Archdiocese of America.

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LC01615

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