Hellenic American Project

04/27/2026

HAP INVITATION: to a gathering of memory, continuity, and creative expression.

The Hellenic American Project at Queens College, CUNY and the Greek American Writers Guild invite you to an evening dedicated to poetry, books, and the arts.
April, celebrated as Poetry Month for the past three decades, reminds us that poetry is not a luxury but a necessity. A way to reimagine and renew our understanding of the world. Our event also resonates with the spirit of World Book Day, honoring the enduring power of reading and literary creation.
The title “O Sweet Spring” evokes both loss and renewal. It reflects a central truth of poetry, and of life itself. That renewal comes through struggle, and that language finds its fullest expression after silence.
In an age of constant information but diminishing understanding, literature invites us to slow down, to listen, and to reconnect with what is essential. It deepens our awareness of ourselves and others, and, especially in difficult times, it sustains our sense of purpose and resilience.
Yet a quiet contradiction remains: while the Diaspora celebrates its cultural heritage, it does not always fully support the artists and scholars who sustain it. And still, they persist, creating not because conditions are easy, but because expression itself is necessary.
This is our mission: to keep the Greek voice of the Diaspora alive, present, and evolving. Because as long as there are words that move us and people who listen and read, Spring, our “Sweet Spring” will always return.
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HAP ΠΡΟΣΚΛΗΣΗ: σε μια συνάντηση μνήμης, συνέχειας και δημιουργικής έκφρασης.

Το Hellenic American Project του Queens College, CUNY και η Εταιρεία Ελλήνων Λογοτεχνών Αμερικής σας προσκαλούμε σε μια βραδιά αφιερωμένη στην ποίηση, στο βιβλίο και στις τέχνες.
Ο Απρίλιος, που εδώ και τρεις δεκαετίες έχει καθιερωθεί ως Μήνας Ποίησης, μας υπενθυμίζει ότι η ποίηση δεν είναι πολυτέλεια, αλλά αναγκαιότητα. Ένας τρόπος να ανανεώνουμε και να μεταμορφώνουμε τον κόσμο. Η εκδήλωσή μας συνομιλεί και με το πνεύμα της Παγκόσμιας Ημέρας Βιβλίου, τιμώντας τη διαχρονική δύναμη της ανάγνωσης και της λογοτεχνικής δημιουργίας.

Ο τίτλος «Ω Γλυκύ μου Έαρ» παραπέμπει ταυτόχρονα στην απώλεια και στην αναγέννηση. Εκφράζει μια βαθιά αλήθεια της ποίησης και της ζωής. Ότι η ανανέωση γεννιέται μέσα από τη δοκιμασία και ότι η γλώσσα βρίσκει την πληρότητά της μετά τη σιωπή.
Σε μια εποχή όπου η πληροφορία πολλαπλασιάζεται αλλά η κατανόηση συχνά υποχωρεί, η λογοτεχνία μάς καλεί να επιβραδύνουμε, να ακούσουμε και να επανασυνδεθούμε με το ουσιώδες. Μας βοηθά να κατανοούμε βαθύτερα τον εαυτό μας και τους άλλους και, ιδιαίτερα σε δύσκολες στιγμές, ενισχύει την αντοχή και την προοπτική μας.
Κι όμως, μια σιωπηλή αντίφαση παραμένει. Ενώ η Διασπορά τιμά την πολιτιστική της κληρονομιά, δεν στηρίζει πάντοτε επαρκώς εκείνους που τη διατηρούν ζωντανή τους δημιουργούς και τους ερευνητές. Και όμως, εκείνοι/ες συνεχίζουν. Δημιουργούν όχι επειδή οι συνθήκες είναι εύκολες, αλλά επειδή η έκφραση είναι αναγκαία.
Αυτή είναι και η αποστολή μας. Να διατηρούμε τη φωνή του Ελληνισμού της Διασποράς ζωντανή, παρούσα και εξελισσόμενη. Γιατί όσο υπάρχουν λέξεις που μας συγκινούν και άνθρωποι που ακούν και διαβάζουν, η άνοιξη, το «γλυκύ έαρ», θα επιστρέφει πάντα.

04/27/2026

03/05/2026

HAP EVENT: Honoring Women’s History Month

SUNDAY MARCH 8th, 1pm
https://www.anamniseis.net/alliotiki-kai-epikeri-giorti-ginekas-sto-whitestone/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRbvyJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFMSEhkVzR1b2dkVGN1cHoxc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHuDwLDyFQ7nNJAKqQfxY3VqLafWz0FonNG03O4xUHVMLTKGewTNwfy79Uzm4_aem_TjgaeYRfNQ216E9ixIFY-A

03/02/2026

HAP SPONSORS A GREAT EVENT - FRIDAY MARCH 6 @ 7PM

02/19/2026

HAP @ the ARTS: An evening of Poetry & Music

The Hellenic American Project (HAP) proudly supported the Greek American Writers Guild in its special cultural event celebrating World Greek Language Day, officially recognized by UNESCO and observed annually on February 9. The celebration also embraced the spirit of February 15 with an evening dedicated to love poetry and music, creating a program that honored both linguistic heritage and artistic expression.

The event took place on Sunday, February 16, at the hospitable House of the Thessalian Association "Asclepius" in Astoria—a neighborhood long recognized as a vibrant center of Greek American life. The choice of venue was symbolically significant: a community institution deeply rooted in regional heritage hosting a gathering devoted to the global resonance of the Greek language.

World Greek Language Day commemorates the enduring historical continuity and cultural impact of the Greek language, from antiquity to the present. Recognized internationally through UNESCO, the day highlights Greek as a foundational language of philosophy, democracy, science, and literature. The Writers Guild’s program approached this legacy not as a static inheritance but as a living tradition sustained through creative practice.

The evening featured readings of poetry—both classical and contemporary—alongside original works by Greek American writers. The thematic focus on love in honor of February 15 offered a compelling bridge between personal emotion and linguistic artistry. Music complemented the literary program, reinforcing the deep interconnection between poetic language and melodic expression within Hellenic cultural traditions.

HAP’s support reflects its broader mission to promote scholarship, public programming, and cultural initiatives that explore and sustain Greek American identity. By collaborating with the Greek American Writers Guild, HAP strengthened the nexus between academic inquiry and community-based cultural production. The event demonstrated how language functions not merely as a communicative tool but as a vessel of collective memory, aesthetic innovation, and diasporic continuity.

In bringing together writers, musicians, scholars, and community members, the celebration affirmed the vitality of the Greek language in the diaspora and underscored the importance of institutional partnerships in sustaining cultural heritage.
Through such initiatives, HAP continues to foster meaningful engagement with Hellenic history, language, and creative expression within the broader American sociocultural landscape.

https://www.anamniseis.net/oasi-to-logotehniko-afieroma-sto-thessaliko-spiti/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo-GJBp3rC4

02/17/2026

20 YEARS OF CONNECTING CUNY STUDENTS AND GREECE

For more than two decades, the City University of New York (CUNY) Study Abroad Program to Greece—organized by Queens College and led by Professor Nicholas Alexiou of the Department of Sociology and Founding Director of the Hellenic American Project, has built a living bridge between New York and Greece, uniting history, culture, and education. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, the program continues to bring hundreds of students closer to their roots and to the broader human story told through Greek civilization.
The Winter 2026 session carried special meaning, with visits to three emblematic cities—Athens, Chalkis, and Sparta, each revealing unique dimensions of the Greek experience.
In Athens, students were welcomed by the Acropolis Museum, where archaeologist Maria Andreopoulou offered an unforgettable tour through ancient treasures and living history. Under her guidance, the past came alive—the colors, stories, and humanity behind the marbles of the Parthenon. The visit reached new significance thanks to the generous support of Mr. Antonis Diamataris, President of the Acropolis Museum, whose sponsorship of the tour symbolized the deep ties between Greece and the Greek diaspora. His gesture stood as a model of cultural diplomacy and faith in public higher education—connecting heritage with the aspirations of new generations.
Students also traveled to the archaeological site of Eleusis, the 2023 European Cultural Capital, where they walked the Sacred Way and learned about the ancient Mysteries of Persephone and Demeter, exploring the philosophical roots that still shape our modern understanding of life, death, and renewal.
In Chalkis, the group experienced Theofania—the Blessing of the Waters—where young divers plunged into icy sea currents to retrieve the cross in a dramatic ritual of faith. They were welcomed by Mayor Elena Vaka, who hosted them at City Hall, sharing the city’s unique history and its famous tidal phenomenon, the Euripus Strait.
The journey concluded in Sparta, where the students met a remarkable member of the Greek-American community, Mr. Stathis Valiotis, philanthropist and founder of Sparta Gourmet. A proud native of Sparta, Mr. Valiotis arranged the visit, personally guiding students through his olive oil production facilities—a living link between ancient agricultural traditions and modern sustainability. The Mayor of Sparta, Mr. Michael Vakalopoulos, welcomed the group and presented them with books and materials about local heritage.
Reflecting on the program’s mission, Professor Alexiou, poet, sociologist, and founder of the Hellenic American Project, emphasized: “Our goal has always been for students to experience Greece as a living, breathing society. History isn’t abstract—it’s alive in daily life, in art, and in people’s stories.”
The combined efforts of all those involved—Mr. Diamataris and Ms. Andreopoulou at the Acropolis Museum, Mr. Valiotis in Sparta, and the local leaders of Chalkis—show the strength of partnership between Greece and the diaspora. They demonstrate how education, culture, and generosity can unite communities across continents.
Two decades later, the Queens College CUNY Study Abroad Program to Greece remains more than a class—it is an education in history, identity, and connection. Through it, a new generation of students becomes true ambassadors of Greek culture and global citizenship.
https://www.anamniseis.net/se-athina-halkida-kai-sparti-oi-fitites-tou-cunny/

https://www.ekirikas.com/eikosi-chronia-istorias-foitites-tou-cuny/

02/14/2026

HAP – A Significant Visit: His Excellency Kyriakos Pogiatzis, Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus, Visits Queens College

The Hellenic American Project (HAP) and the Center for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies were honored to host His Excellency Kyriakos Pogiatzis, Consul General of the Republic of Cyprus, at Queens College on Monday, February 9. The visit coincided with World Greek Language Day, further underscoring the significance of the occasion for the College’s academic and cultural community.
During his visit, Consul General Pogiatzis met with Queens College administrators, faculty members, students, and representatives of the Center’s Advisory Board. He was welcomed by the Director of the Center and the HAP team for a discussion focused on advancing the study and preservation of Greek language and culture, as well as on strengthening academic and cultural partnerships between Queens College and the Greek and Cypriot communities of New York.
The Consul General and his accompanying guests were then offered a guided tour of the Hellenic American Project Museum and Library, where they viewed the “Never Forget” photographic exhibition. This exhibition commemorates the Cyprus Invasion of 1974 and marks the 50th anniversary of the Pancyprian Association, honoring the resilience, memory, and unity of the Cypriot people and their diaspora.
The Hellenic American Project extends its sincere appreciation to Consul General Pogiatzis for his visit and for his thoughtful engagement with HAP’s ongoing mission to document, preserve, and promote the history and culture of the Greek and Cypriot American diaspora.
https://www.anamniseis.net/oysiastiki-episkepsi-g-proksenou-kyproy-sto-kolegio-tou-kouins/

QVIEW #220
https://outlook.office.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkADYwY2QwMTA1LWQzOWUtNDNiZC1hOTZkLWIyMmQ2YTU5ODg3MgAQAFOvrzPwlGFBuf8MhZhamDE%3D

Photo Credit: Andy P**n, Queens College, CUNY.

01/01/2026

Hellenic American Project (HAP) – Queens College, CUNY
Announcement: Poet of the Greek Diaspora Nicos Alexiou Featured in Digital Anthology “Poetry from the 21st Century”

Queens, New York – The Hellenic American Project (HAP), Department of Sociology, Queens College, CUNY, is pleased to announce that Nicos Alexiou, poet of the Greek Diaspora in the United States and Founder and Director of HAP, has been selected for inclusion in the digital anthology “Poetry from the 21st Century” of the Institute of Experimental Arts. This international initiative charts the contemporary poetic landscape of the past twenty-five years, highlighting significant voices that shape modern Greek and diaspora poetry.
The digital platform presents bilingual works, in Greek and English, by more than 220 poets whose collections have appeared since 2000, offering a broad panorama of the aesthetic, thematic, and stylistic developments in 21st‑century Greek poetry. Within this context, Professor Nicos Alexiou, also President of The Greek Writers Guild of America, is featured as one of the contributors whose work brings a distinct diasporic perspective to the evolving Greek poetic discourse.

The Digital Anthology “Poetry from the 21st Century”

The Institute of Experimental Arts has developed “Poetry from the 21st Century” as a digital platform dedicated to systematically mapping the “new” poetic landscape in Greece and the Greek-speaking world. The anthology brings together poets from numerous publishing houses whose first books were published after 2000, documenting the trends, thematic concerns, and aesthetic explorations that have emerged in a period marked by intense social, political, and cultural change.
Accessible online, the platform enables readers to navigate a rich spectrum of poetic voices, compare styles and schools, and identify both common anxieties and distinct departures in contemporary Greek poetry. It also serves as a valuable resource for scholars and researchers interested in the poetry of the early 21st century, effectively functioning as a dynamic “living archive” of the period.
Diaspora Voice: “The Radiant Youth”
Within the anthology, special prominence is given to Nicos Alexiou’s bilingual presentation of the poem “Τα Φωτεινά Παιδιά” / “The Radiant Youth.” The poem engages with memory, historical violence, and loss, illuminating the figures of young people who “rushed down from the sky” and were destroyed in a world of killers, as a powerful allegory for the sacrifices of a country that has traveled “for years among murderers.”

Alexiou’s poetic voice—shaped by the experience of migration, political and social reflection, and profound historical consciousness—bridges Greece and America, homeland and Diaspora. Through works such as “The Radiant Youth,” diaspora poetry is presented not merely as an expression of nostalgia, but as a critical mirror of collective traumas and ongoing quests for identity.

Significance for the Greek-American Community

The inclusion of Nicos Alexiou in this extensive and carefully curated anthology formally connects a Greek‑American diaspora poet to a broad network of contemporary Greek poets whose work defines today’s Greek poetic discourse. It also signals recognition of diaspora creativity by an institution active in the international field of artistic and experimental poetry, reinforcing the role of Greek‑American cultural production within global Hellenism.
For the Greek‑American community, this distinction underlines that the Diaspora functions not merely as an extension of the homeland, but as an active and creative nucleus of it. In this sense, poetry becomes a channel linking generations, geographies, and historical experiences, strengthening the bonds of Greek language and culture within an increasingly polycentric, globalized world.

About the Hellenic American Project (HAP)

The Hellenic American Project (HAP), Department of Sociology, Queens College, CUNY, is a nonprofit research, archival, and educational program dedicated to documenting and presenting the Hellenic American presence in the United States from the first major immigration wave around 1900 to the present. HAP functions as a research facility, archive, Greek American Library, museum, and event space, combining oral histories, population data, cultural artifacts, and public programs to preserve and interpret the Greek‑American experience.
Through its exhibitions, interviews, and collaborations, HAP seeks to cultivate a continuous narrative of Greek‑American history and culture and to make this material accessible to scholars, students, and the broader public.
Contact:
Hellenic American Project (HAP) – Department of Sociology, Queens College, CUNY
Queens Hall, Room 015, 65‑21 Main Street, Queens, NY 11367
Email: [email protected] | Director: [email protected]

DONATE: www.hapsoc.org

https://www.anamniseis.net/diethnis-diakrisi-gia-ton-piiti-niko-aleksiou/

Ξεχωριστή διάκριση έλαβε ο ποιητής Νίκος Αλεξίου, καθώς συμπεριλήφθηκε στην ψηφιακή ανθολογία «Ποίηση από τον 21ο Αιώνα»

12/10/2025

HAP IN THE NEWS - BOOK PRESENTATION
IN COLLABORATION WITH: Εταιρεία Ελλήνων Λογοτεχνών Αμερικής -The Greek Writers Guild of America

«Σκαρφάλωσε εκεί που δεν μπορείς» ήταν η πυξίδα που επιστράτευσαν οι αφηγητές που παρουσίασαν το νέο βιβλίο του Μανώλη Βεληβασάκη.

11/24/2025

HAP - BOOK PRESENTATION.

ALSO: MR. VELIVASAKIS' - HAP ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW -
IMMIGRANT GENERATION - STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE PANCRETAN ASSOCIATION USA, PRESIDENT OF THE NY CHAPTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS
https://youtu.be/jdgRlBLtE3Q

11/24/2025

The Greatest Gift: Generous Donation of Hellenic Paideia to the Hellenic American Project

The recent generous donation from the Academy of Hellenic Paideia to the Archive and Research Center of the Greek-American Diaspora, the Hellenic American Project (HAP) at Queens College, CUNY, goes beyond a simple financial contribution. It is an act of deep gratitude and trust toward an institution that safeguards the memory and history of Hellenism in America, while also highlighting the essential role of Greek education and the spirit of childhood as the most valuable investment in the future of the diaspora.

The formal presentation of the check by Ms. Dimitra Varsami, director and educator of Hellenic Paideia, to Professor Nicholas Alexiou, founder and director of the Hellenic American Project, was only the occasion. The gesture recognizes the multifaceted work of HAP in collecting, documenting, and showcasing the Greek diaspora in the United States, as well as the need to support the institutions that preserve historical memory and cultural heritage. At the same time, it symbolically links the Greek-American school with the university archive, bridging younger and future generations with the history and identity of Greek America.

Yet the priceless treasure of that day was not the monetary amount, but the presence and contribution of the young students of Hellenic Paideia, who welcomed Professor Alexiou with songs and dances. The children, with their freshness and enthusiasm, embodied precisely what both the Academy and HAP strive for: the continuity of Hellenism through the joy of language, music, knowledge, and shared experience. This warm welcome transformed what could have been a routine presentation of a check into a vibrant celebration of Greek education, where tradition meets the future in the voices and smiles of children.

The financial support of the Hellenic American Project is undeniably important for the continuation of research, collection, and digitization of archives. However, in this case, the greatest gift is the Greek education cultivated daily in the classrooms of Hellenic Paideia. The children’s love for the language, songs, and dances of their ancestors is the strongest guarantee that the materials collected by HAP will always have recipients and successors. Thus, the donation acquires a dual dimension: financial, for the support of a unique research center, and pedagogical, as a living lesson in solidarity, giving, and participation for the students themselves.

A decisive role in this living pedagogy is played by the Academy’s educators: Dimitra Varsami, Ourania Kyriazou, Aglaia Kouti, Noreen Hayes, Christina Klotsou, Jasmin Singh, and Konstantinos Doikos. Their love for the children and dedication to teaching the Greek language and tradition guarantee the future of both the students and the school itself. Through their work, Greek education in the diaspora ceases to be an abstract concept and becomes a daily experience that connects schools, universities, families, and communities in a shared effort for knowledge, memory, and identity.

The kind and generous contribution of the Academy of Hellenic Paideia builds a meaningful bridge between the Greek-American school and the university archive. It demonstrates how diaspora education can actively support the research, documentation, and presentation of Greek presence in America. When a community school supports a university archive of the Greek diaspora, the community sends a clear message: that our history deserves to be preserved, and that our children deserve to know it, love it, and carry it forward. With initiatives like these, Greek education becomes action, and the love of children becomes the most precious and enduring gift to Hellenism.

Η δωρεά της Ακαδημίας Ελληνικής Παιδείας προς το Κέντρο Έρευνας Ελληνικής Διασποράς Αμερικής ξεπερνά τα όρια μιας απλής οικονομικής ενίσχυσης