UNITED STATES PRSIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON HELLENIC INDEPENDENCE DAY 191st ANNIVESARY (MARCH 25)

...AND A STATEMENT FROM THE AMERICAN HELLENIC COUNCIL OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Dear Hellenes & Philhellenes,  Today (March 25th) marks the 191 st anniversary from the timeMetropolitan Germanos raised the Greek revolutionary flag at the Monastery of Aghia Lavra in Kalavryta. The past few years have been tough for Greece. As Greek Prime Minister Papademos said, Greece is facing the largest crisis since 1974. In the past few months, Hellenism stood at the brink of its fourth tragedy since the end of World War II; the first was the Civil War, the second was the 1967 Junta, and the third was Cyprus. The history of the modern Hellenic Republic has been turbulent, to say the least, with its fair share of both pain and triumphs.  There are a variety of reasons that one can argue brought the country to where it is today, but today is a day to be proud and hopeful,  a day to look forward and pledge to work hard (whether in Greece or abroad) to make Greece what Kolokotronis, Ypsilantis,Byron, Feraios, Makrygiannis, Kapodistrias, and other worthy leaders of the past once dreamed of. Happy Greek Independence Day! The Board of Directors The American Hellenic Council