2014 -- S 2782
Enacted 03/25/14
S
E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N
CELEBRATING MARCH
25, 2014, AS THE 193RD ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY
Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Nesselbush,
Gallo, Paiva Weed, and Algiere
Date Introduced: March 25, 2014
WHEREAS, On March 25, 1821, the Feast Day of the Annunciation, the Greek nation reclaimed its ancient heritage as the "Cradle of Democracy" by overthrowing the yoke of oppression which had enslaved its people since the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Conquered by the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century, Greece waged a successful War of Independence (1821- 1829) and re-instituted a democratic form of government; and
WHEREAS, The people of the United States generously offered humanitarian assistance to the Greek people during their struggle for independence; and
WHEREAS, The price for Greece in holding onto our common values in their region was high, as hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed in Greece during World War II; and
WHEREAS, Greece is only one of three nations in the world, beyond the former British Empire, that has been allied with the United States in every major international conflict in the last 100 years; and
WHEREAS, The Government and people of Greece actively participate in peacekeeping and peace-building operations conducted by international organizations, including the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and have more recently provided critical support to the operation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Libya; and
WHEREAS, Greece, located in a region where Christianity meets Islam and Judaism, maintains excellent relations with Muslim nations and Israel and demonstrates religious tolerance; and
WHEREAS, Greece and the United States are at the forefront of the effort for freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and human rights; and
WHEREAS, Those and similar ideals have forged a close bond between Greece and the United States and their peoples; and
WHEREAS, March 25, 2014, Greek
Independence Day, marks the 193rd anniversary of the beginning of
the revolution that freed the Greek people from the Ottoman Empire and
celebrates the aspirations for democracy and tolerance that the peoples of
Greece and the United States share; and
WHEREAS, The Government of Greece has taken important steps in recent years to further cross-cultural understanding, rapprochement, and cooperation in various fields with Turkey, and has also improved its relations with other countries in the region, including Israel, thus enhancing the stability of the wider region; and
WHEREAS, It is proper and desirable for the United States to celebrate this anniversary with the Greek people and to reaffirm the democratic principles from which these two great nations were born; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby celebrates March 25, 2014, as the 193rd Anniversary of Greek Independence, reaffirms Rhode Island's abiding commitment to the magnificent principles of democracy and religious freedom, and urges Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Cranston, the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church of Pawtucket, the St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of Newport, the members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, and Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Archdiocese of America.
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LC005112
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