Tribute to the American Hellenic Institute

The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the American Hellenic Institute.

Founded by late Eugene Rossides in 1974 following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, AHI is specialized on issues related to Cyprus and Greece as key enablers of a principled and interest-based US policy in the region.

The Washington-based institution has been at the forefront of promoting Hellenism-related issues for 50 years. AHI is a part of a 50-year-old tradition that unites the Greek and Cypriot communities in the United States. It systematically briefs the elected representatives and government officials, the think-tank community and the media regarding public policy issues such as: Checking the ongoing illegal Turkish occupation of Cyprus and aggressive policies against Greece, defending religious freedom and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, promoting stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the Balkans, and strengthening the shared democratic value-, law-, defense- and security-based relations between the United States, Greece and Cyprus.

Hellenic American groups and organizations at large – from AHEPA, the larger and older one, to the recent dynamic Hellenic American Leadership Council – are multipliers of the strength, depth and perspective of the US-Greece and US-Cyprus partnership.

During my tenure in Washington, I always praised the Hellenic American organizations” synergies on a “purpose-based partnership.”

I am aware of the different statutes, mandates, specifics and particularities, even the role of personalities. Yet, synergy amplifies and renders more focused the message, reaches out to an even larger audience, and reduces and rationalizes resources.

The Hellenic American community is one of the smallest yet one of the most dynamic and influential

The Hellenic American community is the added value of Hellenism in the United States. The American Hellenic community as a whole and each member of the community is a genuine “success story.” The “success” at its best. Not surprisingly, there is no unanimity concerning the numbers. The State Department projects the figure at 3 million of Americans of Greek descent. No reason to challenge this estimate. I take it for granted. Perception is often as important as reality. Just try to Google the words: Greek American organizations.

The results I got are beyond any imagination: 322,000,000. Then try again to Google the words: Greek American lobby.

The results are 13,600,000. These numbers engulf a powerful message. The Hellenic American community is one of the smallest yet one of the most dynamic and influential. They embody the legend of a powerful and performing pressure group generically labeled as the “Greek lobby” in Washington. In terms of consideration and influence, the overall political perception of their delivery capacity is even more important. This is also the analysis and established belief of policymakers and political deciders in Greece’s neighborhood. Beyond the eastern as well as our northern border.

As I used to say while in Washington, if AHI didn’t exist, we should have invented it.

Alexandros Mallias is former ambassador for Greece to the United States, 2005-2009.