Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Kyriakos Mitsotakis celebrated 200 years of partnership between Greece and the United States. Photo by Kristie Baxter.
Members of Congress and distinguished guests greet Prime Minister Mitsotakis on the House Floor. Photo by Scott Mahaskey.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi welcomed Prime Minister Mitsotakis to the United States Capitol on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. Photo by Kristie Baxter.
Greek Prime Minister Delivers Speech to Congress
Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) welcomed Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Kyriakos Mitsotakis to the United States Capitol on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. Prime Minister Mitsotakis addressed a Joint Meeting of Congress and celebrated 200 years of partnership between Greece and the United States.
Speaking from the dais on the House Floor, Prime Minister Mitsotakis said, "I bring you here today the pledge of the Greek people: that we stand together with the people of the United States – whenever and wherever necessary – to ensure that the hopes our ancestors bequeathed to the world 25 centuries ago will endure, and the dream of freedom for every human being on this planet will never die."
Throughout his speech, Prime Minister Mitsotakis spoke about the shared relationship between Greece and the United States, as the founding of the American republic drew from the ideals and philosophy of Athenian democracy.
"I come before you to celebrate a miracle that all free people cherish, but that binds Greeks and Americans in a unique way," he remarked. "That miracle, the Greek idea that would forever change the world, is that society functions best if all its citizens are equal and have the right to share in the running of their state."
Prime Minister Mitsotakis emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two nations in maintaining global peace, addressing climate change, and improving human rights. He highlighted a variety of global issues he found concerning, such as the war in Eastern Europe and the territorial dispute in Cyprus.
In an official statement, Speaker Pelosi said, "When drafting our Constitution, our founders drew on the Ancient Greek ideals of liberty and democracy... Today, more than two centuries later, our nations are key allies on the world stage: advancing our mutual security and economic interests, as well as promoting our shared democratic values in the world."
Guidelines for the event were developed in consultation with the Office of Attending Physician.