201711.20
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A Message from the President – November 2017

Dear friends,

The month that passed left us with intense emotions and instilled in us a great feeling of pride for our origin, our roots, our culture, our generosity and  our bravery as a nation.

The inspired performance of the Folklore Workshop of our Cultural Institute,  “It was my Land” (Ήταν ο τόπος μου), filled our hearts with love and compassion for the modern uprooting of the Middle Eastern refugees, as our nation experienced a similar situation with the abandonment of Asia Minor during 1918-1922. Performances such as this are a lesson of history and respect for humanity.

The culmination of our national pride was the speech given by Athena Nikolis, a 12-year-old student of our “Aristotelis” School of Supplementary Education, at the luncheon celebrating the anniversary of the 28th of October “OXI” Day. When I chose young Athena to co-present the keynote speech with me, I was certain I would be justified by the result. The emotion, the tears of pride and joy and the standing ovation by the audience surpassed all my expectations. More impressive however, is what happened next. The excerpt of the video showing our speech, which we posted on the HCGM’s official Facebook page, surpassed 250,000 views so far, with thousands of likes and shares and praiseful comments full of admiration and pride from all corners of the world.

Generosity is one of the main characteristics of Hellenes. A prime example of our generosity was displayed during the “Love and Solidarity Luncheon” organised once again by the Committee for the Support of Children’s Institutions of Greece, “Magic Mission”. The Hellenes of Montreal supported this noteworthy cause with their presence at our Hellenic Community Centre Adrian Maris, and by donating and sponsoring Magic Mission’s Commemorative Album, which showcases the overall work of the Committee.

At this point, I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate and thank all the people who not only support the Community’s various projects, but who also put their heart and soul into their work. All together we can secure our Greek identity for generations to come.

In closing, I would like to call on you once again to show your love and generosity for our schools. On Sunday, December 3rd at 3:30 pm the HCGM Fundraising Committee is holding its second annual “TeleMarathon” for the financial support of all our schools. It is a marathon of love and generosity for the future of our children.

A sincere thank you to all

Nicholas T. Pagonis

President