Mr. John Georges was sworn in as Honorary Consul of Greece in New Orleans during a ceremony held in Washington, D.C., on September 18, 2025, officiated by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, Alexandra Papadopoulou.
New Orleans holds a special place in the diplomatic history of Greece in the United States. In 1866, the first Greek Consulate was established there, marking the beginning of Greece’s official diplomatic presence in America. The city was home to the first significant Greek community, and records indicate that Nicolas Benachi served as the first Greek Consul in New Orleans. Two years later, in 1867, Demetrious Nicholas Botassis was appointed Consul General of Greece in New York City. Notably, the first Greek Orthodox Church in the United States was also founded in New Orleans in 1864, reflecting the city’s long-standing role as a center of early Greek immigration and cultural life.
Today, the appointment of Mr. John Georges, a prominent Greek American businessman and devoted member of the Greek American community, reaffirms the historic bonds between Greece and New Orleans and the shared commitment to strengthening Greek-American friendship and cooperation.
