Vermont Secretary of State News

Secretary of State Jim Condos invited by President Obama
to White House ceremony honoring Greece

Montpelier: Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos was invited by President Obama to the White House on March 25, 2011 for an official ceremony marking Greece’s independence in 1821. Secretary of State Jim Condos was invited as an elected official of Greek heritage. Among other dignitaries were Congressional members Michael Grimm, Carolyn Maloney, John Sarbanes, and former Senator Paul Sarbanes.

President Obama welcomed guests, thanking Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Dollis for travelling all the way from Athens to join in the celebration. As part of his opening remarks, President Obama stated, “Tonight we reaffirm the bond our two nations have shared for as long as we have existed. Our Founding Fathers were students of Greek philosophy and Greek History, drawing on Greek principles to guide our own nation in its earliest days.”

“I was honored to have been invited by the President to participate. As a 2nd generation Greek-American, I have always been proud of my heritage. My grandparents loved their culture and traditions, but at the same time, were also very proud to become American citizens and contribute to their community through their labor and civic participation.”

Note: Secretary Condos paid for all his expenses for this trip. No taxpayer dollars were expended.