Warm congratulations from Salt Lake City, Utah, were extended by the Venizelos Foundation USA, the American Branch of the National Research and Studies Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos” to its new Executive Director, Mr. Giorgos Koukourakis. At the same time, heartfelt appreciation and congratulations were also expressed to Mrs. Argyro Vatsaki, Deputy Director of the Foundation, for her twenty-five years of continuous and dedicated service since its establishment, significantly contributing to the Foundation’s mission and achievements.
The event took place prior to the screening of the award-winning documentary “Venizelos: The Struggle for Asia Minor” on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at the MegaPlex Jordan Commons in Salt Lake City. The event was organized in collaboration with the three local chapters of the Pancretan Association of America (PAA): Minos, Daughters of Minos, and Minotavros. During the program, special tribute was paid to the life’s work and contributions of the late first Executive Director of the Foundation, Nikos Papadakis-Papadis, whose vision and devotion were instrumental in the creation, development, and international recognition of the Foundation.
Mr. Nikos Kastrinakis, President of the Venizelos Foundation USA and the World Council of Cretans (WCC), stated: “We are confident that Mr. Koukourakis will prove a worthy successor to his predecessor, Nikos Papadakis-Papadis. It is a fortunate occasion to extend our warmest congratulations to him from here, in Salt Lake City, a city in America with a rich history of Greek immigrants. A city that once hosted Mr. Koukourakis’ grandfather as an immigrant before he returned to Greece to raise his family in the village of Fre, Chania. A city that also hosted his grandfather’s brother, who fell fighting in the Asia Minor Campaign, and that continues to be home to descendants of a third brother who remained in the United States.”
Among the distinguished guests who honored the event with their presence were V. Rev. Archimandrite George Nikas, Dean of the Greek Orthodox Church of Greater Salt Lake; Mr. Niko Vamianakis, President of Minos; Mrs. Orie Kambouris, President of Daughters of Minos; Mr. Kostas Katsohirakis, Chair of the PAA Foundation; and Ms. Georgia Tsoutsounis, Former President of the Pancretan Youth of America (PYA).
Following the screening, attendees had the opportunity to participate in an engaging open discussion and Q&A session about the life and legacy of Eleftherios Venizelos and the making of the documentary. Audience questions and comments reflected the enduring admiration and deep respect inspired by Greece’s great national leader. Mr. Kostas Katsohirakis, Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Chair of the PAA Foundation, remarked: “Not only was the documentary extremely well done and informative, but the additional highlight of the evening was the interactive question-and-answer session led by Mr. Nickos Kastrinakis. The audience was highly engaged, and Mr. Kastrinakis provided valuable insights into this pivotal period in the history and development of the modern Greek state, as well as the persecution of Orthodox Christians in Anatolia during that time.”
The film is a production of the National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos” and is based on the book Eleftherios Venizelos: The Man, The Leader by the Foundation’s Director, Mr. Nikos Papadakis-Papadis. With English subtitles, the documentary—directed by Nikos Dayandas—brings to life the extraordinary journey of Eleftherios Venizelos, one of modern Greece’s greatest statesmen. Through dramatized scenes, rare archival footage, and expert interviews, the film vividly portrays his leadership during the defining decade of the Balkan Wars, World War I, and the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.
