The American Hellenic Institute marked its 52nd anniversary with a black-tie gala in Washington, bringing together community leaders, advocates, and supporters for an evening centered on Hellenic and Cypriot issues at the national level.
Held at the Capital Hilton, the Hellenic Heritage Achievement and National Public Service Awards Dinner brought together a full ballroom of community leaders, advocates, and longtime supporters, reflecting the institute’s reach and continuity after more than five decades.
AHI President and CEO Nick Larigakis told guests that the evening “reaffirms the core mission of the American Hellenic Institute,” founded in 1974 to advocate for a strong United States, Greece, and Cyprus relationship, a free and unified Cyprus, security for Greece, and religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, including the reopening of the Halki School of Theology.
Much of that agenda remains unfinished. Cyprus reunification talks have seen little movement in recent years, and the Halki Theological School in Turkey is still closed, despite decades of international pressure for its reopening.
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, who delivered the evening’s closing remarks, described AHI as a vital voice for Greek and Cypriot issues in Washington and praised its “52nd year of leadership and service.”
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Stavros K. Veletsis said he was “thrilled to be again at an American Hellenic Institute event,” calling the organization “on the front line, promoting American and Greek interest in the Mediterranean.” Reflecting on more than five decades since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, he added that “after 52 years of Cyprus occupation, we are still on the line, fighting for justice,” urging continued international engagement to prevent future conflict.
Honoree Helen A. Carlos of Atlanta described the recognition as a “joy and a blessing,” crediting the many people who shaped her path of service. She pointed to her long-standing support for Hellenic College Holy Cross, noting that “the future of the Church in America… depends on supporting Hellenic College Holy Cross.” The Archbishop called her “a true change maker” whose leadership has had a lasting impact on both the school and the broader Church.
Community advocate Savas C. Tsivicos said he felt “very humbled and very honored” to receive AHI’s 2026 award from an institution he has supported and worked alongside for years. Accepting on behalf of his family and “everybody who has been fighting with us,” he described AHI as an organization that has been “fighting the good fight” for more than five decades. The Archbishop praised him as a tireless advocate for Cyprus and Hellenic issues in the United States.
Across the evening, speakers returned to a consistent theme: that AHI’s work links advocacy in Washington with the broader concerns of the Greek Orthodox community in America. References to Cyprus, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and Orthodox communities abroad underscored how those priorities continue to shape the institute’s agenda.
Fifty-two years after its founding, the message in the room was steady. The issues have not disappeared. Neither, those gathered made clear, has the commitment to keep pressing them forward.