Terence Quick on events in town of the USA, which changed its name to honor the Revolution of 1821

“Thank you,” Greece, Hellenic Republic, moved to the town of Greece in the United States, the state Secretary in the…
Prime minister Terence Quick, in a special ceremony held today at the town Hall.
“It was a failure many decades. The city of Southampton, situated to the north of the State of New York, almost to the Canadian border, 1821-22, when the then residents learned that erupted in Greece, the Revolution of liberation from the Turkish yoke, unanimously changed the name to Greece, which is the only city in the world bearing this name.
And, indeed, in the Founding of the Declaration refers to the fact of the obligation to the peoples struggling for their freedom,” said Terence Quick, speaking to the local Media.
And he continued:
“A loose end, after 195 years, was settled today with an apology for the delay on the part of Greece and with a big “Thank you”, expressed with a token gift of the President of the Republic, mr Prokopis Pavlopoulos, a case with the coat of arms and signature, ενεχείρισα the Mayor of the City William D. Reilich. But with a very important message of friendship to the Prime minister, mr Alexis Tsipras, which I read during the formal and very touching ceremony. A message, which I delivered, and in a context of olive-wood, with the signature of the Prime minister, so that it can stay as a memory in the Mayor’s office.
I would like to thank the hellenic-American National Council (HANC) for the initiative to organize with the Municipality of Greece, this very important event, the President of which, indeed, is the Claus Mataragkas, first-generation immigrant from the island of Zakynthos, home of our National poet Dionysios Solomos wrote the “Hymn to Freedom”, a freedom which is the key ingredient of the Founding Declaration of the town of Greece.”
The event was attended by the Consul general in New York Georgios Eliopoulos, the president and the members of the BOARD of HANC, representatives of 1,100 Greek origin – mostly first generation – families in the area, all the official bodies of the city, local members of parliament and representatives of the State.
The choir of ελληνόπουλων of the parish of the Annunciation and the choir of the school of Athena, sang their respective National Anthems of Greece and the USA.
Terence Quick, the Municipality of Greece handed over commemorative gifts to the President of the Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos and the Prime minister Alexis Tsipras.
The message of Prime minister Alexis Tsipras, who read Terrence Quick, inter alia, mentioned the following:
“With great pleasure I address you by sending a message of friendship between the peoples of Greece and America. The visit of the Minister, mr Terence Quick, in the town of Greece of the United States gives me the opportunity to stress the historic significance and natural beauty of your city, of a place – a symbol of the close ties that unite both peoples.
I am proud, as do all the Greeks, that a city by the name of Greece is located in America. The founders of Greece, as genuine Philhellenes, were inspired by the messages of ancient Greek history and the Greek revolution.
Thank you and I fervently hope that peace and prosperity”.
Terrence Quick, also forwarded the invitation of the Minister of Internal affairs, Panagiotis Κουρουμπλή, the Mayor of Greece, to visit Greece.
After the end of the official ceremony, the deputy Minister attached to the prime Minister a tour of the schools in the city, all of which bear Greek names like Athena, Arcadia, Olympia, etc
Perhaps this is a sign, finally, in the Municipal Library of the city, which on the occasion of the visit of the representative of the Greek State, had special tributes to Alexander the Great, with a range of dozens of relevant books and the bust of in the middle of the lady’s room, which is a gift of the Municipality of Rhodes, with which the town of Greece is twinned from the 90s.
And a παραπολιτική detail: Terence Quick, so his speech and the message of the Prime minister read them in Greek. As he said, “In a town like this with a name like that, we would not be able to address in English. I had heard in Greece the Greek language, which in the end is the Mother of all languages”.