2020 -- S 2872 | |
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LC005192 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020 | |
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N | |
CELEBRATING MARCH 25, 2020, AS THE 199TH ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK | |
INDEPENDENCE DAY | |
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Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Euer, Lombardi, Gallo, and Conley | |
Date Introduced: June 16, 2020 | |
Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar | |
1 | WHEREAS, On March 25, 1821, the Feast Day of the Annunciation, the Greek nation |
2 | reclaimed its ancient heritage as the "Cradle of Democracy" by overthrowing the yoke of |
3 | oppression which had enslaved its people since the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Conquered by |
4 | the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century, Greece waged a successful war of Independence (1821- |
5 | 1829) and re-instituted a democratic form of government; and |
6 | WHEREAS, The people of the United States generously offered humanitarian assistance |
7 | to the Greek people during their struggle for independence; and |
8 | WHEREAS, The price for Greece in holding onto our common values in their region was |
9 | high, as hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed in Greece during World War II; and |
10 | WHEREAS, Greece is one of only three nations in the world, beyond the former British |
11 | Empire, that has been allied with the United States in every major international conflict over the |
12 | last 100 years; and |
13 | WHEREAS, Greece, located in a region where Christianity meets Islam and Judaism, |
14 | maintains excellent relations with Muslim nations and Israel, and demonstrates religious |
15 | tolerance; and |
16 | WHEREAS, The Ancient Macedonians were Hellenes and the northern Province of |
17 | Greece, Macedonia, are their Hellenic descendants; and |
18 | WHEREAS, Greece and the United States are at the forefront of the effort for freedom, |
19 | democracy, peace, stability, and human rights; and |
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1 | WHEREAS, Over the past few years, the United States has significantly increased its |
2 | engagement with Greece in the maritime sector. In partnership with the Greek shipping fleet, the |
3 | United States is helping Greece and all of Southeast Europe ensure energy independence; and |
4 | WHEREAS, March 25, 2020, Greek Independence Day, marks the 199th Anniversary of |
5 | the beginning of the revolution that freed the Greek people from the Ottoman Empire and |
6 | celebrates the aspirations for democracy and tolerance that the people of Greece and the United |
7 | States share; and |
8 | WHEREAS, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Greece on October 4, |
9 | 2019, where he met with Greek leaders and together they signed the Mutual Defense Cooperation |
10 | Agreement (MDCA); and |
11 | WHEREAS, In January of 2020, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the |
12 | United States and met with President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Michael Pence, Secretary |
13 | of State Mike Pompeo, and Congressional Leaders to enhance bilateral cooperation and discuss |
14 | issues related to trade, energy and mutual security; and |
15 | WHEREAS, Turkey has continued to destabilize the Aegean Sea and the Eastern |
16 | Mediterranean Sea region. As a result, Greece, Israel and Cyprus have formed a trilateral |
17 | cooperation agreement against the aggressive regional policies of Turkey. Each country's strong |
18 | relationship with the United States, as well as the prospect of an Eastern Mediterranean pipeline |
19 | enabling safe transmission of gas to Western Europe are critical to security and energy stability. |
20 | Passage of the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019 will facilitate |
21 | energy and security cooperation between the United States, Greece, Cyprus and Israel; and |
22 | WHEREAS, It is proper and desirable for the United States to celebrate this Anniversary |
23 | with the Greek people and to reaffirm the democratic principles from which these two great |
24 | nations were born; now, therefore be it |
25 | RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
26 | hereby celebrates March 25, 2020, as the 199th Anniversary of Greek Independence, reaffirms |
27 | Rhode Island's abiding commitment to the magnificent principles of democracy and religious |
28 | freedom, and urges Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical |
29 | Patriarchate; and be it further |
30 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
31 | transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of |
32 | Cranston, the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church of Pawtucket, the St. Spyridon Greek |
33 | Orthodox Church of Newport, members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, the |
34 | Honorable Stratos Efthymiou, Consul General of the Hellenic Republic in Boston, and |
35 |
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1 | Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Archdiocese of America. |
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