“US-Greek relations are the best they’ve been in modern history. Our friendship began during Greece’s war for independence and Greece’s 2021 bicentennial is an opportunity to celebrate this history and the values of liberty and democracy our peoples have defended for over 200 years,” he said.
The “USA & Greece: Celebrating 200 Years of Friendship” campaign is designed to support the efforts of the “Greece 2021” Committee by providing partnering with Greek and American civil society, educational and arts institutions, and funding several events.
It seeks to showcase the ancient Greek ideals of democracy that were an inspiration at the founding of the country and also to highlight the role that American Philhellenes played in Greece’s struggle for independence.
The rich program of events includes an entrepreneur mentorship, a science festival, an exhibition, two opera productions, and much more.
"I’m excited about the Greek bicentennial as an opportunity to remind Americans about what Greece stands for, and in particular what Athenian democracy stands for. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for Greece to tell some of these stories in the United States. I know that’s Prime Minister Mitsotakis’s intention as well," Pyatt added.
"So this is going to be a very exciting period in our relationship. It’s going to be a period where we reaffirm our converging strategic interests, but also the values that unite us, which are so important to shaping the future of the Euro-Atlantic community that we’re both invested in," he concluded.
The list of “USA & Greece: Celebrating 200 Years of Friendship” programs:
Virtual Entrepreneurship Project “Connect the Dots”: a virtual entrepreneurship mentoring program conducted in partnership with The Hellenic Initiative (THI), this program will provide online mentorship by U.S. business leaders to Greek entrepreneurs. This program is placed under the auspices of the “Greece 2021” Committee.
Athens Science Festival 2021 – 200 Years of Innovation:an experiential space will be created, comprising multiple exhibits that refer to the historical anniversary and the evolution of the Greek state, highlighting areas of shared scientific excellence with the U.S. and featuring prominent American speakers.This program is placed under the auspices of the “Greece 2021” Committee.
Greek National Opera, Stavros Niarchos Hall: the Greek National Operawill present two special musical performances of works reflecting the shared values of the U.S. and Greece.
The “American Philhellenism” Exhibition at the Museum of Philhellenism: a special exhibition entitled “The American Philhellenism” at the Museum of Philhellenism in Athens, featuring unique artifacts and historical documents capturing the birth and evolution of Philhellenism, U.S. support for the Greek Revolution, and the impact of Greek culture on the values, institutions, artistic and architectural expressions in the U.S.
Exhibition “The Free and the Brave: American Philhellenes and the Glorious Struggle of the Greeks (1776-1866):” atthe Gennadius Library, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, this will beanexhibition exploring the movement of Philhellenism that flourished in the U.S. in the 19th Century, influenced by Greek classical thought and democratic ideals.
American Studies: scholarships towards the establishment of an American Studies curriculum at a Greek university.
“Greek Fire:” aseminar at the Delphi Economic Forum and online reporton the lasting impact that the Greek Revolution has had on American culture and politics.
City of Sparta: Sparta will host a conference on American Philhellenes and conduct a range of programs throughout 2021 to commemorate the bicentennial.
U.S. Consulate General Thessaloniki:the creation of an exhibit that chronicles the history of the Consulate General and the U.S. presence in Thessaloniki.
