June 10, 2018 — Jerusalem, Israel
AJC ACCESS and the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) are completing their inaugural joint mission to Athens, Nicosia and Jerusalem. The trip affirms the next generation of joint advocacy in support of the American-Hellenic-Israeli partnership. Participants arrived in Israel today and will participate in the AJC Global Forum, taking place for the first time in Jerusalem.
In Cyprus and Greece the group met with a number of senior government officials, including: the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades; the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides; Greece’s Minister of Digital Policy, Telecommunication and Media and former Minister of State, Nikos Pappas; the Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece, Terrence Kouik; Republic of Cyprus Presidential Commissioner Photis Photiou; the head of New Democracy – Greece’s main opposition party – Kyriakos Mitsotakis; and New Democracy’s representative for defense issues, former Minister of Public Order, Vassilis Kikillias.
Participants had the opportunity to gain insight into bilateral and trilateral relations and geopolitical issues in the region in conversations with the U.S. and Israeli ambassadors. They also met with civil society leaders, leaders of Athens’ Jewish community, and members of the press.
The joint mission follows an event in Washington, D.C. last month, where AJC and HALC marked the fifth anniversary of the Congressional Hellenic-Israel Alliance.
“In the last month alone, AJC and HALC have been on the ground in four countries. Building on the success of joint advocacy in Washington, D.C., the next generation of our leaders gained first-hand insight into the realities and challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean,” said Endy Zemenides, Executive Director of HALC. “I am confident that the decades of collaboration between our two communities will be taken to the next level by these young leaders.”
“This visit provided an invaluable opportunity for AJC and HALC’s young professionals to explore thriving partnerships among democracies in the Eastern Mediterranean,” said Gene Germanovivh, Co-Chair of ACCESS Global. “On the heels of successful joint advocacy in support of the Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance caucus, we have a clear understanding on how our partnership is making a difference and where we can make more of an impact.”
