Prometheas started the New Year with a traditional KAFENIO on Friday, January 11, 2002, at the Founders Hall of St. George Church, in Bethesda, MD. Over 100 guests participated and socialized in a pleasant atmosphere until about 11 pm. The special table which displayed Greek cultural books and brochures attracted the interest of the participants. Also, Greek music was continuously playing in the background until Tessie Catsambas surprised everyone with a beautiful program of Greek songs, which she played with her guitar. Lefteris Karmires read in Greek a poem written by Mati Constantopoulos which in a humorous style captures quite accurately what Prometheas means for its members. This poem can be seen at http://www.prometheas.org/Documents/PoemPrometheas.pdf or at http://www.prometheas.org/Documents/PoemPrometheas.doc

On Friday, January 25, 2002, Prometheas honored the Three Hierarchs and celebrated the Greek Letters Day at St. George Greek Orthodox Church. About 200 people attended the event. The greetings, the readings by the students and the lecture were all presented in Greek. At the start of the celebration, Mr. Konstantinos Dimitraskos, the counselor for education of the Greek Embassy, briefly addressed the audience and underlined the contribution of the Three Hierarchs to the Hellenic culture and letters. The speaker was Dr. Alexandros Alexakis, associate professor of Greek Language and Literature (and Byzantinologist) at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. He made a historical overview of the establishment of Byzantium, its expansion, contraction and its final fall and pointed out, with specific examples and slides, the contribution of Byzantium to the Hellenic culture.

The participation of the Greek schools of the Washington Metropolitan Area with readings and recitations of poems made a very positive impression on the audience; also, the student choir of St.George sang beautifully the song "Kokkini Milia". A reception followed which included the cutting of the traditional vasilopitta of Prometheas.

on Monday, February 11, 2002 - 7:00 p.m.
Politics & Prose Bookstore and Coffeehouse
5015 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008

In "Nostos", a story about Anatolian Greeks, the protagonist, Maryo obeys
her aged mother's command to go back in time and witness her life: "What
was it that I lived, was it a dream or a nightmare?" The heroine, a young
woman as yet unconscious of her own existence, embarks on the journey. She
goes back to Anatolia in the beginning of the century and experiences the
joys and sorrows of her mother's family life, representing the full
spectrum of human action, which leads to the tragic events of war and
expulsion. The novel floats back and forth in time and space as Maryo
penetrates into the very cells of being. Thus, her spirit grows through the
memory of her people, metaphysical realization, and her actual emotional
life. The unconscious heroine achieves conscious realization, and we see
her age, becoming the archetype of the wise woman.

The lyrical language of the novel reflects, in turn, the meaning of Maryo's
quest, for the text -its texture ever intense, vivid, and moving-swings
back and forth between tones of anguish and of ecstasy, reflecting both the
tragic pain and the spiritual delight of being.

For information, call: Politics and Prose: 202-364-1919

Press Office, Embassy of Greece: 202-332-2727

On February 7, 2002, the Hellenic American Women's Council (HAWC) will host the Honorable Androula Vassiliou, Member of Parliament and former First Lady of Cyprus for a lecture on "Cyprus: New Hopes, New Prospects."

• A brief history of the Cyprus problem and the efforts made in the past for its solution;
• A summary of efforts made by NGOs, members of civil society for rapprochement between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities;
• An overview of Cyprus' application for full membership to the European Union;
• An update on the recent resumption of intercommunal talks; and
• The new hopes and prospects created regarding the future of Cyprus.

WHO: THE HONORABLE ANDROULA VASSILIOU

WHAT: "Cyprus: New Hopes, New Prospects"

Lecture to be followed by Reception

WHEN: Thursday, February 7, 2002

7:00-9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Capital Hilton Hotel

1001 16^th Street, NW

Washington, DC

Admission: $15 per person, FREE for Students and Press

RSVP: Reservations required by February 5, 2002

CONTACT: Maria Stamoulas -- (202) 464-0400

Kathy Johnson -- (703) 893-9437

Theodora Hancock -- (703) 685-7442

Androula Vassiliou, an attorney with 20 years of law practice experience, was first elected Member of the Cyprus House of Representatives in 1996 and re-elected to a five-year term in May 2001. She is a Member of the European Affairs, Education and Culture and Environment Committees and also serves on Cyprus' Permanent Delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union and on the EU-Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee. She was the first woman to be elected President of the World Federation of United Nations (UN) Associations, a position she held for two terms. She also served for ten years as Secretary General and President of the UN Association of Cyprus. Throughout her life, she has worked for the improvement of the status of women in Cyprus and was elected honorary President of Cyprus' Permanent Agency on Women's Rights. Mrs. Vassiliou has been very active in efforts for rapprochement between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities and has participated in a number of such meetings both in Cyprus and abroad.

* * *

The annual dance performance of the Return to Origins program is scheduled for Sunday, March 17^th, 2002. It will take place, as always, at the Montgomery College in
Rockville. For more information please call Rena Papapostolou at 301-983-5012.

Prometheas is planning the Annual celebration of the Greek Independence Day for Saturday, March 23^rd at St. George with the participation of all the Hellenic Organizations of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Dr. Thanos Veremis, professor of Tufts University will be the guest speaker. More information to be provided in the next newsletter.