On Tuesday, 22 July, in an atmosphere of cooperation and unity, a joint session was held between the Special Permanent Committee of the Hellenic Parliament on Greeks Abroad and members of the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association (WHIA), as part of the Association’s 15th General Assembly, which took place in Athens.
The Committee’s Chair and Member of Parliament for the Cyclades (New Democracy), Mr. Filippos Fortomas, spoke today on Voice of Greece and the show “Take Your Time” with Prokopis Agelopoulos. He discussed at length the Committee’s work and initiatives, as well as the importance of its close cooperation with WHIA—an institution founded in 1996 on the initiative of the Greek state, bringing together legislators of Greek descent from across the globe.
“The presence of more than 40 Greeks of the Diaspora, all of them prominent figures in the political landscape of their respective countries, confirms the strength of global Hellenism,” Mr. Fortomas noted, highlighting the importance of maintaining cultural and linguistic cohesion among second-, third-, and fourth-generation Greeks.
During the session, a number of key issues concerning the diaspora were brought to the table and discussed—such as strengthening Greek-language education, facilitating Greek citizenship for second- and third-generation Greeks, encouraging the active political participation of expatriates, and supporting Greek national interests on the international stage through WHIA resolutions.
Mr. Fortomas also spoke about the election of WHIA’s new Board of Directors, congratulating the re-elected President, Rhode Island State Senator Mr. Leonidas Raptakis.
“Our priority is to support Greek-language education, preserve cultural identity, and amplify the voice of Greeks abroad in the countries where they live and work,” the Committee Chair emphasized.
The joint session reaffirmed the need to continue dialogue and institutional cooperation between the Hellenic Parliament and the elected representatives of global Hellenism, strengthening the bridges of communication and action on shared national and cultural matters.