wfn.org | ARCHBISHOP TUTU RECIPIENT OF ATHENAGORAS HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD 2000

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

FEBRUARY 23, 2000
GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
DEPT. OF COMMUNICATIONS
CONTACT: NIKKI STEPHANOPOULOS
TEL: (212) 5703530
E-MAIL: Communications@goarch.org
http://www.goarch.org

New York, NY - His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, spiritual leader of
1.5 million Greek Orthodox Christians in America, has announced that
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu is the recipient of
the Athenagoras Human Rights Award for the millennium year 2000. The
award will be presented on March 4th, at the New York Hilton Hotel at
the annual banquet of the Order of St. Andrew, distinguished laymen of
the Greek Orthodox Church who have been granted the title of Archon by
the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. More than 1,000 people
are expected to attend the banquet which will begin with a reception at
6:00 p.m. and dinner at 7:00 p.m.

Established in 1986, the Athenagoras Award honors Patriarch
Athenagoras who served as Archbishop of the Americas for 18 years
before being elected Ecumenical Patriarch in 1948. He was universally
acknowledged as a visionary leader of Orthodoxy, numbering over 250
million faithful worldwide, who worked for peace among Churches and
people throughout his life. Previous recipients have included
President Jimmy Carter, Mother Teresa and Elie Wiesel.

One of the most iconic figures in the struggle to eradicate apartheid
and promote religious freedom and human rights, Archbishop Desmond Tutu
has deeply permeated the conscious of South Africa as well as the
entire world. Civil rights activist, clergyman, teacher, and author,
he was awarded the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of the
courage and heroism expressed by black South Africans in their peaceful
methods in the fight against apartheid.

According to National Commander Dr.Anthony J. Limberakis, the evening
will conclude with the introduction of the Archon Class of 2000 to be
invested during the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, March 5th at the
Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. His Eminence Archbishop
Demetrios will preside at the Ceremony of Investiture for 30
distinguished laymen from throughout the United States as new Archons
of the Great Church of Christ, committed to uphold and defend the
rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Archon Class of 2000
Nicholas Vidalakis, Seattle, WA; John Demourkas, Goleta, CA; James
Dimitrion, Fair Lawn, NJ; Peter Zikos, McMurray, PA; Theoharis
Theoharides, Brookline, MA; John Johns, Denver, CO; Harry Kalas,
Astoria, NY; Thomas Kanelos, Niles, IL; Peter Karavites, Bridgewter,
MA; Demetri Karagias, Deal, NJ; Nicholas Catranis, Mobile, AL; Socrates
Kyritsis, Summit, NJ; Platon Constantinides, Atlanta, GA; Leonidas
Manta, Orland Park, IL; Steve Manta, Chicago, IL; Gregory Nodaros,
Douglaston, NY; Constantine Pappas, Solana Beach, CA; Paul Pavlides,
Manhasset, NY; Konstantinos Pylarinos, Astoria, NY; Nicholas
Sakellaridis, NY, NY; George Skoufis, Doraville, GA; George Tzikas,
Sacramento, CA; Chris Jouflas, Grand Junction, CO; Ernie Tiboris,
Sheboygan, WI; Kenneth Frangadakis, Saratoga, CA; George Chryssis,
Weston, MA; William Boykas, Coopersburg, PA; Michael Serko, Jr.;
Endwell, NY; Robert John Serko, Endwell, NY and Michael Wesko,Endicott, NY.