35th biennial convention of the Panepirotic Federation

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 Greeks from throughout world coming to city

By Dominic Mallary SPECIAL TO THE TELEGRAM & GAZETT

http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070612/FRONTPAGENEWS/70612009

WORCESTER— More than 500 people of Greek descent from throughout the country and world are expected in the city tomorrow for the 35th biennial convention of the Panepirotic Federation, which was founded in Worcester in 1942.

The convention, with events at Crown Plaza Hotel and Spyridon’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral, will continue through Sunday. A Saturday night reception will feature speeches by prominent Greek-Americans, including former Governor Michael Dukakis and Metropolitan Methodios, spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox Church in New England .

Also attending will be Rev. Dean N. Paleologos of St. Spyridon’s, Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes, author Eleni Gage, the family of actress Rita Wilson, several deputies in the Greek Parliament, and Nikos Gontas, the mayor of Epiros, Ioannina, in Greece.

Working sessions will center on the federation’s efforts to support the people of the Epiros region of Greece. Since its inception, the federation has funded hundreds of scholarships for students in both the Greek and Albanian regions of Epiros, in addition to its efforts to support schools, churches, and other organizations which promote Epirotic identity.

“Historically, people from the Epiros region were some of the founders of the Greek community in Worcester," Rev. Paleologos said. “They actually make up the majority of the population in our church.”