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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Greek Independence Day marks the 200th
3anniversary of the independence of Greece and celebrates
4democracy in Greece and the United States; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The people of ancient Greece developed the
6concept of democracy in which the supreme power to govern was
7vested in the people; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The Founding Fathers of the United States, many
9of whom studied Greek political philosophy in the original
10Greek language, drew heavily on the political experience and
11philosophy of ancient Greece in forming the representative
12democracy of the United States; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Many Americans fought alongside the Greeks in
14their fight for Greek independence; stirring speeches by
15President James Monroe and Daniel Webster led Congress to send
16funds and supplies to aid the Greeks in the struggle for
17freedom; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The Greek national anthem the "Hymn to Liberty"
19includes the words "most heartily was gladdened George
20Washington's brave land"; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The people of the United States generously
2offered humanitarian assistance to the people of Greece during
3their struggle for independence; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Greece heroically resisted Axis forces at a
5crucial moment in World War II, and this forced Adolf Hitler to
6change his timeline, which delayed the attack on Russia; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Winston Churchill said "if there had not been the
8virtue and courage of the Greeks, we do not know which the
9outcome of World War II would have been" and "no longer will we
10say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like
11Greeks"; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Greece consistently allied with the United States
13in major international conflicts throughout the 20th century;
14and
 
15    WHEREAS, The government and people of Greece actively
16participate in peacekeeping and peace-building operations
17conducted by international organizations, including the United
18Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European
19Union, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in
20Europe; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Greece received worldwide praise for its

 

 

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1extraordinary handling during the 2004 Olympic Games of more
2than 14,000 athletes and more than two million spectators and
3journalists; the government and people of Greece handled this
4feat efficiently, securely, and with hospitality; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Those efforts and similar ideals have forged a
6close bond between the people of Greece and the United States;
7therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
9HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10we declare March 25, 2021 as Greek Independence Day in the
11State of Illinois and join the Hellenic-American
12organizations, the estimated three million Americans of Greek
13descent, and the people of Greece in celebrating this historic
14milestone.