The Deputy Foreign Minister for Hellenes Abroad, Theodore Kassimis, will be in Boston from Friday November 17, to Sunday November 19, 2006. During his stay, Mr. Kassimis, accompanied by the Consul General of Greece, Mr. Constantinos Orphanides, will meet with His Eminence Metropolitan of Boston Methodios, and other leaders of the Greek American Community. Additionally, he will visit The Karamanlis Chair/The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University, Northeastern University, Holy Cross School of Theology and the Hellenic College.

9-10.30 a.m.: Holy Trinity, the Greek day parochial school in Lowell, and the only day school in New England.

11.30-12.15 p.m.: The Karamanlis Chair/The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, at Tufts University .

12.45-14.30 p.m. : Northeastern University. Lunch/Meeting with faculty and students. (Northeastern University has developed cooperation and partnership with the University of Athens and other research institutes in the areas of biomedical technology and nanotechnology. Meetings with the university faculty and students).

15.00-16.00 p.m.: The Holy Cross School of Theology and the Hellenic College.
Meeting with the President, faculty, and students.

16.15-18.00 p.m. : The Maliotis Cultural Center, Brookline , MA . Speech at an event attended by members of all Hellenic Societies of New England. The event, which is open to the public, is hosted by the Counsulate General of Greece.. A Reception will follow.

20.15-21.30 p.m. Attend an event organized by the Pan-Macedonian Association of Boston Chapters, "Philippos o Macedon" and "Cleopatra," at Radisson Hotel.

21.30-22.00 p.m. Meeting with the Leadership of the Pan-Macedonian Association at the above hotel.

Sunday, November 19, 2006
9.15 – 10.00 p.m. Meeting with the Board of Directors of the Federation of Hellenic-American Societies of New England

11.00-13.30 p.m. Meeting with His Eminence Metropolitan of Boston Methodios. Doxology at St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Arlington briefing on plans for the opening of the second Greek day school in New England. Reception.

Press & Communication Office
Consulate General of Greece
86 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108
greeceinboston@gmail.com

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Mr. Kassimis, of Laconian and Cretan descent, was born in Corfu in 1947. He studied economics and journalism in Athens and he is been elected parliament member of the New Democracy party (ND) since 1989 in Athens B Constituency.

On February 26, 2006, Mr. Kassimis was appointed Deputy Foreign Minister by Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis. As Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Kassimis is in charge of affairs concerning the Hellenes Abroad, ecclesiastical and cultural relations, relations with the Patriarchates, and bilateral relations between Greece and former Soviet Union countries, Asia and Oceana.

PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY

Deputy Minister of National Economy (1992-1993) in charge of International Economic Relations and Tourism.

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament (2004-2006).

Vice-Chairman of the Economic, Commercial and Environmental Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation from 1995 to 1996. Chairman of the same Committee from 1996 to 2002.

Member of the Standing Committee on Defense and Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament (2000-2006).

Greek Parliament Representative at the International Parliamentary Scout Movement.

Representative of the Hellenic Parliament in the European Parliamentary Summit which decided the framework of the European Convention in 2000.

POLITICAL-SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Mr Kassimis introduced at the Parliament the 2001 budget, as well as a range of important bills among which the bill of 1989 enabling the operation of private radio stations and television channels, and the bill on Tourism.

On 1984 he became head of the N.D Press Office until 1989. Member of ONNED (the ND youth organization). From 1975 to 1978 he was responsible for the publication of the newspaper Democratic Vanguard . Since 1995 he is an elected member of N.D Central Committee.

Journalist by profession, since 1971, he is a member of the Union of Athens Daily Newspaper Writers and for many consecutive years he was member of its Joint Council. He worked in daily newspapers and magazines of political and economic content , such as “Kathimerini, Express, Vradini, ENA, etc.) as well as at the ERT radio and television. He was editor of the magazine Food and Beverage and the forerunner for the creation of the Hellenic Association of Food and Beverage Industries. Founding member of Environmental and Athletic NGOs. Chairman and General Secretary for four years of the Centre for Scientific Consumer Protection and Updating .

He is married to Roxane Vasiliadou and has three children, Alexandra, Constantine and Catherine.

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