World Vlach Amphictyony

Press Release

On Saturday, June 30th, 2012, at 12.00 am, the first Council of Board of the World Vlach Amphictyony was convened at the hotel DIVANI METEORA, Kalambaka, Greece.  In accordance with the statute, the Council of Board, chaired by Mr. Michalis Mageirias, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Vlach Cultural Associations and President of the World Vlach Amphictyony, reads as follows:

President: Michalis Mageirias

Secretary: Giorgo Iliefski

First Vice President: Thanassi Potsi

Second Vice President: Zissis Michas

Third Vice President: Vassilis Gremozis

Treasurer: Basil Ampatzi

Member: Arben Lena

Member: Konstantinos Kalfas

Member: Grigoris Ntouvelis

Member: Kyriakos Lioutas

Honorary President: Achilleas Lazarou

Subsequently, on the same day, the First solemn and open Conference of the World Vlach Amphictyony took place in a crowded Conference Hall of the hotel DIVANI METEORA and was attended by the following members of the Council of Board:

•Mr. Thanassi Potsi, President of the Vlachs Union of Albania

•Mr. Arben Lena, President of the Vlach Association "Mandra" of Korce, Albania

•Mr. Basil Abatzi, President of the Association "Agios Nikolaos" Kruševo, fYROM

•Mr. Giorgo Iliefski, former President of the League of Vlachs of fYROM

•Mr. Kyriakos Lioutas, Association of Milia Metsovoy of Toronto, Canada

•Mr. Giorgos Ntouvelis, Association of Aspropotamos in USA

•Mr. Konstantinos Kalfas, Association of Livadiotes of Melbourne, Australia

•Prof. Achilleas Lazarou, Honorary President of the World Vlach Amphictyony

The Conference was also attended by :

•Mr. Vangelis Doule, President of the KEAD party in Albania and MP in the Albanian parliament,

•Mr. Stefan Nikolov, President of the Association of Vlachs of Gevgelija "Meglenites", fYROM

•Mrs Nora Gerou, Cultural Association of Vlachs "Moschopolis" - Skopje, fYROM

•Mr. Timoleon Kopsacheilis, MP of the Grevena Prefecture in the Hellenic Parliament

•Mrs Marina Chrysoveloni, MP of the Magnisia Prefecture in the Hellenic Parliament

•Mr. Dimitris Sakellariou, Mayor of Kalambaka, Greece 

•Mr. Nikos Tsompikos, Mayor of Metsovo, Greece

•Mr. Stergios Galanis, vice Mayor of Serres, Greece

•Mr. Giorgos Papastergiou, former Prefect of Pieria, Greece  

Furthermore, the conference was attended by numerous former and acting presidents and members of more than 120 Vlach Cultural associations of Greece, former presidents of the Panhellenic Federation of Vlach Cultural Associations and many members of numerous Vlach Cultural Associations from abroad.    

The World Vlach Amphictyony, as pointed out emphatically  both by its president, Mr. Michalis Mageirias and the rest of the speakers from Greece and abroad, has undertaken a heavy responsibility  to embrace all the people of Vlach-speaking origin across the globe, in bid to foster the historic ties of the Vlach speaking Hellenism with its metropolitan center, Greece. To do so, the World Vlach Amphictyony has the task to present extrovertly with clarity and dynamism, not only within but also outside the Greek borders, the genuine and authentic expression of the Latin speaking Romiosyne (Hellenism), emphasizing on its historical identity, its historical values and roots.

The World Vlach Amphictyony as a higher level institution, based in Greece, has surpassed Greece’s borders and having embraced the Diaspora of the Vlach speaking Hellenism worldwide, aims at highlighting Greece’s specific character as a metropolitan center and a diachronic point of reference of the entire Vlach speaking element across the globe, providing at the same time all those handful people who are not willing to accept the old and established historic truth with a clear answer.

Our call has received a clear and massive response on behalf of the Diaspora of the Vlach speaking Hellenism that attended the first solemn Conference of the World Vlach Amphictyony, supporting our cause. The World Vlach Amphictyony has been a reality. What is needed now from all of us is to work systematically and methodically to realize its objectives with mutual respect, mutual understanding and solidarity. In this direction, addressing dynamically the contemporary challenges of the broader Hellenism, a permanent secretariat and a special scientific center for research and documentation shall be organized in order to be the Amphictyony’s permanent institutional body.

Last but not least, the Conference discussed issues concerning the promotion of the authentic cultural identity of the Vlach-speaking Hellenism as well as the international presence and the future activities of the World Vlach Amphictyony across the globe.  In light of the above, a series of cultural activities will be held in October 2012 in Toronto, Canada.

The President

Michalis Mageirias