NEW YORK, NY –
The East Mediterranean Business Culture Alliance (EMBCA) will present its Annual OXI Day (October 28, 1940) Commemoration “Greece’s Defiance That Changed the Course of World War II” Webinar Panel Discussion on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at 2 P.M. EST / 8 P.M. Athens EEST.
The panel discussion will be introduced and moderated by EMBCA President Lou Katsos. The distinguished panel, currently in formation, will feature scholars including Author and Poet Nicholas Alexiou, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Hellenic American Project at Queens College; Author and Lecturer Alexander Billinis of Clemson University and EMBCA Director; and historian Peter Stavrianidis, PhD.
This commemoration is part of EMBCA’s acclaimed 205/250 Series, which explores the enduring historical and cultural ties between Hellas and America.
“OXI Day (October 28, 1940) a national Hellenic holiday represents when the Hellenic Prime Minister Metaxas was awoken to respond to a series of demands from a representative of a WW2 Axis Power which would have allowed foreign troops free reign in Greece a neutral nation at the time”, explains EMBCA’s President, Lou Katsos. “His response to these demands and the Hellenic people’s simple shout “OXI/NO” led to battles by the Hellenes of historical international consequences for Europe and the free world”.
Katsos adds, “It was the first time in the European theater that an Axis Power was defeated after them taking over country after country, raised the hopes of occupied Europe, and caused the Nazi forces which were scheduled to attack the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa) to divert their forces and invade Greece instead. This diversion led to a delay in the Nazi invasion of the U.S.S.R. and the Nazi’s eventual defeat there in the Soviet winter”.
He further remarks, “As per the title of this event, OXI Day was a turning point in WW2 and had an importance that went beyond the Hellenic Republic and a war international in scope. In addition, despite the ultimate Hellenic defeat, having fought long and hard, the bravery of the Hellenic people during those difficult six months also had the effect of changing how Hellenic Americans were perceived in America and Hellenes in general. In America, it transformed them from being thought of as the “Other” to being finally accepted as Americans”.
