res23178

R 178

2023 -- S 0689
Enacted 03/21/2023

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

CELEBRATING MARCH 25, 2023, AS THE 202ND ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY AND CELEBRATING DEMOCRACY IN GREECE AND THE UNITED STATES

Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Euer, Kallman, Felag, F. Lombardi, Tikoian, Gallo, Ujifusa, DiMario, and Lauria

Date Introduced: March 21, 2023

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

Mediterranean Sea Region. As a result, the United States Department of State continues to

strongly support regional efforts that enhance and promote cooperation and regional stability,

including the 2+1 mechanism in which the Republic of Cyprus (ROC), Greece, Israel and the

United States participate. The United States Department of State also supports projects such as

the planned Greece Africa Power interconnector from Egypt to Crete and the Greek mainland;

and

WHEREAS, United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on his recent visit to

Greece, praised the Hellenic republic for its leading role concerning the region's energy transition

in his opening remarks at the start of the 4th round of the Greece-US Strategic Dialogue, while

underlining that the United States is grateful for Greece's unwavering support for Ukraine 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; now, therefore be it

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

2023, as the 202nd 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

Honorable Symeon Tegos, Consul General of the Hellenic Republic in Boston, Archbishop

Elpidophoros of the Greek Archdiocese of America.

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LC000791

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