ASTORIA – The Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce and Cyprus Young Professionals (CYP) held their Christmas party on December 8 at Anemos Restaurant in Astoria.
Festive music by DJ Sava added Christmas joy to the event that brought together the Chamber’s members, family and friends to celebrate the holidays and the blessings of the year.
Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Despina Axiotakis gave the welcoming remarks, thanking everyone for attending, among them, the Consul General of Cyprus in New York, Michael Fyrillas, Consul of Greece, Dimitris Papageorgiou, Trade Commissioner of Cyprus Aristos Constantine, and the Chamber’s Founding President and Honorary Chairman Andreas Comodromos.
She also conveyed to everyone the wishes of PSEKA and Pan Cyprian President Philip Christopher and Federation of Cypriot-American Organizations President Kyriacos Papastylianou, both of whom could not attend.
Chamber President Maria Pappas, along with CYP representatives, Vickie Savvides and Christina Misoulis, thanked Despina Axiotakis for organizing the event and wished a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to all in attendance.
The Chamber’s ex president, Nicos Nicolaou, spread once again more Christmas cheer as the Cypriot “Santa Claus” who handed out the event’s raffle gifts, including the traditional haloumi.
Consul Dimitris Papageorgiou said in his remarks that “the struggles of Cyprus and Cypriot Hellenism are also ours, your pain is also our pain, and your hopes are also our hopes”, noting the community’s commitment to defending Hellenism worldwide and the common efforts for a just solution for Cyprus according to the international law.
Consul General Firillas, on his part, thanked everyone for their efforts – especially the founding president Andreas Comodromos- and described the community as a very “lively, loving, active, and passionate”. He thanked Consul Papageorgiou for his words and referring to the Cyprus – US relations he said that they are “probably at an all-time high”.
Also present was New York State Assemblyman Michael Tannousis who was again this year surprised with a cake for his birthday.
