UPPER DARBY, PA – [Photos by Philadelphia Federation]
More than 100 members of the Greek American community attended a consular workshop with Consul General of Greece Iphigenia Kanara hosted by the Federation of Hellenic-American Societies of Philadelphia and the Consulate General of Greece in New York at Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Community Center in Upper Darby, PA, on November 4.
Consul General Kanara along with members of her team traveled to Upper Darby to meet directly with community members, marking the first time the Consulate General of Greece has conducted a workshop of this scale, with one -on-one meetings in the Philadelphia area.
The event follows a July 1 meeting at the Consulate General in New York, where Consul General Kanara and the Federation’s newly elected board, planned out several events in Philadelphia for the 2026-2027 year, including the Philadelphia Marathon wreath ceremony on November 19, 2026, and, of course, the Philadelphia Greek Independence Day Parade on April 4, 2027. From its offices in NYC, the Consulate General serves New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
During the four-hour session, from 3-7 pm, attendees met one-on-one with consular officials and received guidance on Greek citizenship, passports, military service obligations and deferments, voting from abroad, and the registration of births, marriages, and deaths. For those who need to follow up in person, the Consulate team offered to schedule appointments at the Consulate General office.
Attendees welcomed the visit with great enthusiasm. Many expressed their gratitude that the Consulate came to them, so they could get answers in person, close to home.
“This workshop was a great success, and the turnout shows how much our community values a direct connection with Greece”, said John Vasiliou, President of the Federation. “We are grateful to Consul General Kanara and her team for coming to Upper Darby and giving each person individual attention. Our Federation and the Consulate have continued to partner together, and we hope to continue to do so and serve our community”.
The Federation also thanked Consul General Kanara and her staff, as well as Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, for making the workshop possible.
