[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 23761] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IN RECOGNITION OF THE CHIAN FEDERATION AND ADAMANTIOS (DIMIS) TH. VASSILAKIS PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF GREECE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, RECIPIENT OF THE 29TH ANNUAL HOMERIC AWARD ______ HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of new york in the house of representatives Wednesday, December 6, 2006 Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Chian Federation, which is presenting its 29th annual Homeric Award to Adamantios (Dimis) Th. Vassilakis, Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations. Their gala event has been organized under the leadership of the Chian Federation's President, George Almiroudis, and the Event Chair, who is also First Vice President of the Chian Federation, Alexandros Doulis. The Chian Federation was founded in 1974. Since then it has educated and empowered the Hellenic American community to exercise their rights and fulfill their obligations as American citizens. The Chian Federation has a strong record of advocating human rights and striving to promote democratic ideals. In addition to its political objectives, the organization sponsors a dance group; cultural events; a Web site; a magazine; business card exchanges; food, clothing and toy drives; a Senior Citizens' breakfast; and lectures on topics ranging from archaeology to health care. The Federation's accomplishments extend beyond the borders of the United States. On Chios, the Chian Federation has financially aided nursing homes, environmental groups for reforestation of the island, the Korais Library and the Office of the Repatriated Chians Organization, in addition to making substantial donations to the educational and health systems of Chios. The Chian Federation established the Homeric Award in 1977, with the idea of recognizing individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the Hellenic community. Ambassador Vassilakis earned this honor through his outstanding service to Greece as a diplomat, and as a friend to the Hellenic community in New York. Ambassador Vassilakis was born on the island of Chios on June 13, 1942, where he grew up and received his basic education, graduating from the Commercial High School of Chios. He then attended the Free University of Brussels, Belgium earning a Licence in Political and Diplomatic Sciences. Mr. Vassilakis entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972 as Embassy Attache, and was appointed Third Secretary of Embassy at the Greek Embassy in Tirana, Albania in 1975. In 1977, he moved to the Foreign Ministry's First Department of Political Affairs, he was Head of Section for the U.S.S.R. and Eastern Europe. He served as a member of various Greek delegations visiting Eastern European countries and was a participant in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Common Market political experts meetings. In 1985, Mr. Vassilakis was made Consul General of Greece in San Francisco, California, where he was promoted to First Counsellor of Embassy. In 1989, he was appointed Head of Section for Bilateral Greek- United States, Iranian, Turkish and Arab Countries in the Foreign Ministry's Department of Bilateral Economic Relations. In 1990, Mr. Vassilakis entered the Department of European Community Affairs. In 1991, he was named Deputy Permanent Representative in the Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations, and in 1994, he became Charge d'Affaires. In 1998, he was promoted to Minister Plenipotentiary (1st class). From 1999, Mr. Vassilakis served as Director General for European Affairs and Director of the Centre for Analysis and Planning in Greece's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2002, he was appointed to his present position. Ambassador Vassilakis is married to Fay Malouf-Vassilakis and they have two children, Theodore and Athena. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Chian Federation and its honoree, the Honorable Adamantios (Dimis) Th. Vassilakis. ____________________