Message from the PAA’s 43rd
Biennial Business Affairs Chair
F
or an organization like
the PAA, which has been
around since 1929, it should
be no surprise that every two
Stavros Antonakakis
years at our national convenPAA Convention
Business Affairs Chairman
tion we mark some important
2nd Vice President
milestone in our history. 2013
[email protected]
happens to be the 100th anniversary of the Union of Crete with Greece. The PAA’s
Centennial events began at the convention in Akron
and continue throughout North America, reaching
their zenith at the Awards Gala in New York City on
Friday, Dec. 6.
At the final national PAA convention before Crete
enters its next centennial journey, it was my distinct
honor and privilege to serve as chairman of the Convention “business affairs” meeting. It was an experience that I will never forget. There were moments of
excitement, pressure and even discourse! As streamlined as our business affairs were we could have easily lasted another week.
Our bylaws require during the biennial convention that PAA delegates from each chapter spend approximately three and a half days of democratic discussions on how the PAA can continue to progress
and keep the promise of its purpose (Article 2 of the
PAA bylaws):
1. To promote and develop social, ethnic and cultural relationships and mutuality among all Cretans
and their descendants residing in the United States
and Canada.
2. To promote and develop education through
scholarships and otherwise; to raise voluntary contributions and funds and to distribute such funds
to legally recognized philanthropic institutions and
educational, charitable or cultural purposes.
3. To inspire and encourage loyalty and devotion to each member to his adopted country and its
flag, obedience of its constitution and laws and to
instruct and encourage non-citizen members to become citizens of their respective countries.
4. To give such moral encouragement and assis-
14
KPHTH | October 2013
tance as necessary to the members and Chapters of
the Association.
5. To promote throughout the world, and especially in the United States of America, a better and
more comprehensive understanding of Crete and its
history and culture.
Details of the business convention will become
available on our new website; however, highlights
are showcased in this issue.
Since the PAA’s beginning, the biennial convention provides us the opportunity to gather as chapter leaders and connect with one another, renew or
forge new friendships, share information, discuss
past, present and future PAA objectives as well as
enjoy a week full of exceptional Cretan cuisine, entertainment and fellowship. A strong signal to each
of us of how really important the biennial PAA conventions are is how blessed we were to have had in
Akron, Ohio, the Archbishop of Crete, His Eminence
Irineos, the Representative of the All Holy Patriarchate in Constantinople Reverend Archimadrite
Makario, and the President of the World Council
of Cretans Antoni Tsourdalakis. These individuals
traveled from the three corners of the earth to participate during the three plus days of PAA business
affairs meetings!
We are highly regarded and respected not only as
an organization, but as accomplished second, third
and even fourth generation Cretans of the diaspora.
The Cretan experience is alive, strong and continues
to flourish well beyond our island’s shores!
We all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the
Convention Hosts of Akron for their leadership in
creating an unforgettable convention. Although we
have come far as an organization, there is still much
to do; this can be only be accomplished through volunteering, by sharing our thoughts, knowledge, celebrating our successes and learning from mistakes.
The 2015 convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, will be
no exception to the Cretan experience and will serve
to reinforce our heritage, culture and Cretan identity. Mark your calendars accordingly! K