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From the Land of the Labyrinth: Minoan Crete, 3000-1100 B.C.

280 Artifacts and works of art that reveal the history of the luminous Minoan culture of Crete to the metropolis of USA, New York
By Nancy Biska, ΚΡΗΤΗ Magazine, April 2008
The interest of the American Press and hundreds of visitors daily is focused on the artifacts of the Minoan Civilization which are exhibited at the “Alexander Onassis” Foundation at the Olympic Tower in Manhattan, New York. The exhibition was co-organized by the “Alexander S. Onassis” Public Benefit Foundation in USA, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological museums of Crete, with the cooperation of the Pancretan Association of America. Continue Reading

Courage of Greeks and Philhellenes at SJU

March 24th, 2008
New York.- “The Greeks endured years of slavery known as the “Chronia tis Slavias”, said Dr. Christos P. Ioannides, keynote speaker at the 4th Annual St. Johnʼs University Greek Independence Day Program on Feb. 21st evening at Council Hall. “They lived as slaves for four hundred years. The Greeks did not forget FREEDOM. The American Revolution opened the way for others to rebel against foreign rule. They remembered that God gave them the right for freedom.”
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A good cause

National Herald, January 25, 2008
From left to right: George Leventis,Nancy Biska and Manolis Velivasakis hold a check from the Langan Engineering Environmental Services for $25,250 which was donated to the Plant Your Roots in Greece Foundation at Kellaris Parea on January 16 in New York.

Δωρεά της «Langan International» για την αναδάσωση

ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ ΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΗ 18 ΙΑΝΟΥΑΡΙΟΥ 2008, σελ. 7
Ο πρόεδρος της «Langan International», Γιώργος Λεβέντης, όπως είχε γράψει ο «Εθνικός Κήρυκας», διοργάνωσε έρανο για την αναδάσωση των πυρόπληκτων περιοχών και συγκέντρωσε το ποσό των $25.250. Το βράδυ της Τετάρτης, κατά τη διάρκεια της πρωτοχρονιάτικης γιορτής που διοργάνωσε στο εστιατόριο «Κελάρι» παρέδωσε την επιταγή στους εκπροσώπους του οργανισμού «Φύτεψε τις ρίζες σου στην Ελλάδα».
Από αριστερά, διακρίνονται ο κ. Γιώργος Λεβέντης, η κ. Νάνσυ Μπίσκα και ο πρόεδρος του Εθνικού Συμβουλίου, Μανώλης Βεληβασάκης.

Farewell to a Diplomat: Dr. Catherine Boura

New York. By Catherine Tsounis, Greek News, December 3rd, 2007
She is a person with a classical Greek profile. Low key, pleasant, without meanness in her soul, this diplomat was “a servant of the people”. The intellectual, who has a Ph.D. on areas focusing on Asia Minor and the Middle East, mingles with the powerful, rich, middle class, all nationalities with ease. Her warmth made her four years as consul general of Greece to the United States unforgettable. One always felt welcome at the Greek Embassy in Manhattan. This is the legacy of one of the great women of our generation: Dr. Catherine Boura.

On Tuesday evening, November 27th, an elegant dinner was held in Ms. Bouraʼs honor at Mezzo Mezzo located on 31-29 Ditmars Blvd. in Astoria, NY. Over one hundred prominent Greek-American women attended to raise a scholarship fund in the diplomatʼs name. Aphrodite Daniels, multi-talented with a unique singing voice, entertained all non-stop throughout the evening with live musical entertainment. The Mistress of Ceremonies was Nancy Biska, leading international journalist/internet webmaster, who is governor of the Pan Macedonian Association for the District of New York and New Jersey.
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Greeks rally to raise funds for “other’ wildfires in Homeland

By Clem Richardson, Monday, November 5, 2007, DAILY NEWS
The summer wildfires swept across the already sun-scorched land, consuming everything in the way and leaving ashes in their wake. The devastation was incredible – at least 67 people killed, 1,100 homes and 427,000 acres of forest and farmland destroyed. This wasn’t sunny Southern California last month, but Greece in August, when some 170 wildfires, some of them arson blazes, rampaged through Mount Taygetos and other portions of Peloponnese in Southern Greece.
Kyriakos (Charlie) Kourakos, owner of Mezzo Mezzo restaurant on Ditmars Blvd. in Astoria, Queens, spent long hours watching television reports as the flames ravaged Mount Taygetos, near Sparta, in the province where he grew up.”I used to vacation there when I was growing up, and I still take my family there,” said Kourakos. “It is such beautiful country, full of birch and pine trees. So beautiful.”Peter Alexeas, president of Progressive Designs, a Hempstead, L.I., firm that designs and builds diners, was vacationing in the region when the flames hit. He joined the fire brigade as locals tried to help overwhelmed firefighters in the battle.”There were only two fire trucks,” Alexeas said.
“I think we did more than the firemen did. I burned my hand, the fire was so close.” Now the two have joined with consultant Nancy Biska and the World Council of Hellenes Abroad in a national effort to replant Mount Taygetos and other parts of their homeland. The World Council is looking to raise more than $500,000 for the “Plant Your Roots In Greece” tree-replanting program. Biska said all the money raised will go directly toward the replanting effort. “Every dime that is donated will go into replacing lost trees,” she said. The Greek government has pledged to rebuild the destroyed homes.
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Greek Journalist Nancy Biska honored at SJU

Gazette
Nancy Biska was honored at the fifth annual Evening of Greek Culture and Cuisine sponsored by the Modern Greek Language and Literature program at St. John’s University on Friday evening, October 12 in Council Hall. More than 200 persons attended.
Biska is a journalist and editor for Greek and international newspapers and magazines. She is a public relations spokesperson, radio and television personality and Webmaster. Seirios Media and P.R. Publications, created by Biska, is a leading Modern Greek Internet newspaper. Her support of Hellenism and the Modern Greek Language and Literature program at St. John’s University is legendary.
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Overwhelming success of SJU Greek event

“Greek News”, October 22nd, 2007
New York.- A devastating Iraq War, declining economy, fire ravaged Greece is inspiring a return to oneʼs roots. The Fourth Annual Evening of Greek Culture and Cuisine at St. Johnʼs University in Council Hall on Friday, October 12th had standing room only. The Panchiaki Korais Society Dance Group under the supervision of Evangelia Klidas and Katie Markidis mesmerized an audience of 200 persons with a program of dances that exemplified the best of Greece.
The Pan Cyprian Association of America, through the assistance of President Philip Christopher, granted one thousand dollars of scholarships to outstanding students Veronica Georgiades and Christiana Pashiou. Outstanding Benefators honored included: Rev. Anastasios Diakovasilis; New York State Senator Frank Padavan; Stephen Cherpelis, Archon Dikaiophylax of the Order of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle; Journalist/Webmaster Nancy Biska and the Pan Macedonian Studies Center under the presidency of Elias Neofytides.
Award presentations were given to SJU Assistant Dean Ekaterini Georgiades, Greek Club president Diamanto Ktenas; Past Greek Club President Irene Zouroudis and Kostas Lambiris, vice-president of the Pan Macedonian Studies Center. Student moderators of the program were Haritomeni Scoufaras, Theodora Christodoulou and Marina Filippatos.
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Η AHEPA STATEN ISLAND ΥΠΕΡ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΠΑΙΔΕΙΑΣ

Στη φωτογραφία, οι βραβευθέντες μαθητές και μαζί τους οι: Ιωάννης Αντωνόπουλος, καθηγητής, Στέλλα Κοκόλη, πρόεδρος της Ομοσπονδίας Ελλήνων Εκπαιδευτικών, Κωνσταντίνος Αρβανίτης, Όμηρος Βανδώρος, και Εμμανουήλ Κάμπος, πρόεδρος, πρώην πρόεδρος και αντιπρόεδρος της οργάνωσης, αντίστοιχα, π. Νικόλαος Πετροπουλάκος, ιερατικώς προϊστάμενος της Κοινότητας Αγίος Τριάδος-Αγίου Νικολάου και Νάνσυ Μπίσκα, δημοσιογράφος.
Του Σταύρου Μαρμαρινού, Δευτέρα 25 Ιουνίου 2007, Εθνικός Κήρυκας
ΝΕΑ ΥΟΡΚΗ. Την υποστήριξή του προς την ελληνική Παιδεία απέδειξε το Τμήμα της ΑΧΕΠΑ στο Στάτεν Αϊλαντ, που επέδωσε τα ετήσια βραβεία του σε διακριθέντες μαθητές του Σχολείου της εκεί κοινότητας Αγίας Τριάδος και Αγίου Νικολάου και άλλων σχολείων, κατά τη διάρκεια τελετής το βράδυ της Παρασκευής στην κοινοτική αίθουσα. «Οι βραβευθέντες προσπάθησαν με όλες τους τις δυνάμεις και διακρίθηκαν στις σπουδές τους και πήραν τις βάσεις για να συνεχίσουν στο σωστό δρόμο στη ζωή τους, ενώ κρατούν τις αξίες του Ελληνισμού και της Εκκλησίας», τόνισε ο πρόεδρος της οργάνωσης, Κωνσταντίνος Αρβανίτης.
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