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| THE MONTREAL GREEK TIMES GOPHER NEWS SERVICE |
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February 2026
Montreal audience hears call for unity and service from AHEPA Supreme
President
(GIF) article photo
By Dimitri Papadopoulos
Beneath the soft glow of chandeliers and the blue and white of Hellenic
flags carefully arranged along the walls, members of the Greek community
gathered in Montreal in a spirit of fraternity and pride to welcome the
Supreme President of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive
Association. Conversations moved easily between Greek and English,
elders greeting long standing brothers of the Order while younger
members observed with attentive curiosity. The visit formed part of a
broader January tour that included Toronto and Ottawa, yet in Montreal
the emphasis fell squarely on community cohesion, philanthropy and the
enduring responsibility of preserving Hellenic identity in Canada.
The Supreme President, Chris Kaitson, arrived in Eastern Canada
accompanied by Canadian Order President Anastasios Moussas, meeting
chapters in Region Twenty Three across Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. In
remarks shared with members, Kaitson reflected on what he described as
the vitality of the organization in this country. “My visit to the
chapters of Region Twenty Three in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa clearly
demonstrated that the strength of AHEPA and Hellenism in Canada is
thriving,” he stated, adding that the Order remains “a family, united
beyond borders, with common goals and common ideals.”
The Montreal chapter organized a formal gathering that blended ceremony
with fellowship. Members stood as the visiting delegation was
introduced, followed by a chapter meeting welcoming the Supreme
President, as outlined in correspondence circulated to the membership.
The tone throughout the evening balanced respect for institutional
tradition with a distinctly local character shaped by Montreal’s long
established Greek presence.
AHEPA, founded in 1922 in the United States to combat discrimination
and promote the integration and advancement of Greek immigrants, has
since grown into an international fraternal organization dedicated
to the promotion of Hellenic ideals, education, philanthropy and
civic responsibility. Its mission emphasizes support for Greek
language and culture, scholarship programs, charitable initiatives
and the strengthening of ties between the diaspora and Greece and
Cyprus. In Canada, the Order has played a consistent role in
community life, supporting educational programs, church initiatives
and cultural events that keep the Greek language and traditions
visible to younger generations.
During the Eastern Canada tour, that commitment to education and
heritage was tangible. In Toronto, members presented a fifty thousand
dollar donation to the Gennadius Library in Athens, a repository of more
than one hundred thousand volumes devoted to Greek history, literature
and art. The gesture resonated in Montreal as well, where discussions
frequently turned to the preservation of archives, language programs and
cultural memory within the diaspora.
The Supreme President’s meetings extended beyond chapter halls. In
Toronto he conferred with the Consul General of Greece and the Greek
Trade Commissioner, exploring avenues to strengthen Greek Canadian ties.
In Montreal, conversations centered on collaboration among community
organizations and on ensuring that philanthropic efforts respond to
contemporary needs. Local leaders underscored the importance of
coordinated action among associations, parishes and cultural groups in a
city where the Greek presence spans several generations.
George Tsitouras, a Montreal member active in professional and
philanthropic circles, described the visit as an opportunity to reaffirm
common purpose. In written remarks shared with THE MONTREAL GREEK TIMES,
he noted that gatherings of this nature “remind us that we are part of a
global Hellenic network, and that our local initiatives in Montreal
contribute to something much larger.”
For long time Montreal AHEPA members, the evening also carried a
personal dimension. One senior member recalled joining the Order decades
earlier at a time when Greek immigrants sought both solidarity and
social advancement. “We wanted our children to succeed in Canada and
remain proud of being Greek,” he said. That aspiration remains present
today, though expressed through scholarships, mentorship programs and
charitable drives rather than the early struggles against exclusion that
marked the organization’s beginnings.
Younger attendees spoke of a different yet related motivation. A
university student whose parents emigrated from northern Greece
explained that involvement in AHEPA offers structured engagement with
heritage beyond family celebrations. “It gives us a framework to serve,
to give back, and to connect with Greece in meaningful ways,” she said,
pointing to initiatives supporting education and humanitarian relief.
The visit also highlighted the Order’s charitable reach. In Montreal,
members outlined ongoing support for local causes, including assistance
to community institutions and families facing hardship. While the
Supreme President’s tour carried ceremonial elements, the substance of
the discussions focused on practical action: fundraising targets,
membership growth and intergenerational engagement.
Throughout the evening, the Greek language flowed naturally in speeches
and informal exchanges. Toasts were offered to Hellenism, to Canada and
to the enduring bond between them. The symbolism was unmistakable yet
grounded in lived experience. In a city where Greek schools, churches
and cultural associations continue to shape communal life, such visits
reinforce the sense that local efforts are connected to a broader
international movement dedicated to preserving Hellenic identity.
The Eastern Canada tour concluded after engagements in Ottawa, where
chapter members similarly welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed their
commitment to the Order’s mission. In Montreal, the evening closed with
a formal chapter meeting and fellowship among members and guests,
marking the end of the Supreme President’s official visit to the city.
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