AHIF Students Engage Greece’s Political and Diplomatic Leaders
No. 61
ATHENS — College students participating in the American Hellenic Institute Foundation’s (AHIF) 2026 College Student Foreign Policy Trip engaged with Greece’s political, parliamentary, regional and diplomatic leaders during a series of meetings and institutional visits held July 1 to 10.
“Meeting directly with the officials shaping Greek policy gave students an exceptional opportunity to move beyond the classroom and better understand Greece’s democratic institutions, foreign policy priorities and increasingly important relationship with the United States,” AHI President Nick Larigakis said.
Students Meet Greece’s President
A highlight of the program came July 10, when President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine Tassoulas welcomed the delegation to the Presidential Mansion. The students also toured the Presidential Mansion and visited the Presidential Guard’s Evzones barracks, where they received a briefing on the history, traditions and responsibilities of the ceremonial unit.
On July 2, the delegation visited the Hellenic Parliament and met with its First Vice President, Giannis Plakiotakis. The engagement introduced students to the Parliament’s role in Greece’s democratic system.
Students also met with the presidium of the Special Permanent Committee on Greeks Abroad, chaired by member of Parliament Philippos Fortomas. The discussion examined Greece’s relationship with Greek communities around the world and the importance of maintaining strong ties with the diaspora.
During a July 8 visit to Larissa, the delegation met with Thessaly Governor Demetrios Kouretas at the Thessaly Regional Government Building. A welcome and briefing provided students with a regional perspective on governance followed by a hosted lunch at the Larissa Officers’ Club.
“The AHIF Foreign Policy Trip transformed my understanding of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus from something I had studied in textbooks into something I experienced firsthand,” George Mantalvanos, a sophomore at the College of William & Mary, said. “As a Greek American and an international relations student, standing in places where history unfolded and engaging with policymakers, fellow participants, and local communities gave me a deeper appreciation for the region’s resilience, strategic importance, and enduring commitment to democracy.”
Exploring Greek Foreign Policy and U.S.-Greece Relations
At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the students met with Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Loverdos and received a series of briefings on Greece’s diplomatic priorities and regional relationships.
Ambassador Loukas Karatsolis, of the Ministry's A7 Directorate for North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, discussed Greece's relationship with the United States. Vasileios Vikas, of the Ministry's Turkey Directorate, provided a briefing on Greece's delicate dynamics with Ankara. The students also received a briefing on Greece's diplomacy with its Balkan neighbors from the A3 Directorate for Southeastern Europe. Together, the presentations gave students detailed insight into the issues shaping Greek foreign policy.
The delegation also met with Josh Huck, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Greece on July 7. The discussion provided an American diplomatic perspective on the bilateral relationship and Greece’s growing importance as a strategic U.S. partner. Students also enjoyed attending the U.S. Independence Day Reception at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center on July 2.
The delegation also met with Dr. Thanos Dokos, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, for a discussion on Greece's strategic priorities and the broader security landscape in the Eastern Mediterranean. Students additionally attended a breakfast briefing with Amb. Thomas Miller, a three-time U.S. ambassador to Greece and special coordinator for Cyprus negotiations, who offered a veteran diplomat's perspective on decades of U.S. engagement in the region.
The political and diplomatic engagements complemented the students’ visits to military installations across Greece (see press release).
Strengthening Connections with the Greek Diaspora
The program began with a tour of the Acropolis Museum on July 1 and a dinner hosted by Maira Myrogianni, secretary general for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy. The engagement, together with the parliamentary discussion involving the Special Permanent Committee on Greeks Abroad, gave students an opportunity to consider the role younger generations can play in sustaining connections between Greece and diaspora communities.
“This trip has changed my view on what it means to be part of the Greek Diaspora: it means not only connecting to Greece culturally or religiously, but understanding the current standing of Greece and Cyprus, recognizing that we have a responsibility to strengthen the ties between our countries, advocate for the issues that matter most, and ensure that future generations remain connected to their heritage as we have,” Constantina Moustakis, a sophomore at CUNY Macaulay Honors College, said.
Engaging Greece's Strategic and Economic Leaders
The delegation toured Tsakos Shipping and Trading S.A., where Ms. Maria Kariakis and Professor Stratos Papadimitriou briefed students on the company's operations and the broader dynamics of the global shipping industry. Students also met with Mrs. Marina Martinou, whose discussion centered on the shipping industry's philanthropic contributions to Greek society.
Students also took a hard hat tour of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, courtesy of Mr. Michael Karloustos, gaining a firsthand look at one of the most significant examples of American investment in Greece.
Experiencing Greece’s Institutions and Culture
The delegation visited the Hellenic Olympic Committee for a tour and briefing on Greece’s enduring connection to the Olympic movement on July 7. Students also visited the studios of Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, known as ERT, where they participated in an interview and gained insight into Greece’s public media landscape.
A July 9 tour of Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, home of Olympiacos FC, offered another perspective on an institution with a prominent place in Greek sporting, business, and cultural life. Dr. Niki Kalogiratou, chief communications officer of Capital Ship Management Corp., and Depi Koxenoglou, director of public relations for Olympiacos FC, hosted the group for dinner.
“The caliber and prestige of the individuals and institutions we engaged with were a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Maria Kyriacou, a junior at the University of Virginia, said. “To not only meet with the Presidents of both countries, but also members [of Parliament], foreign ministries, historians, and ambassadors gave insights into core foreign policy issues important to U.S. interests in Greece and the Republic of Cyprus that no other program or vacation can replicate.”
Closing the Program with a Farewell Dinner
The trip concluded with a farewell dinner hosted by the American Hellenic Institute Foundation at the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens. Many of the officials with whom the students met throughout the program, as well as AHI supporters, attended the dinner. Ms. Myrogianni, Amb. Miller, AHIF President Nick Larigakis, AHIF Chairman Leon Andris, Maria Wills, AHIF Secretary and Trip Chaperone, and Vice Admiral Vasileios Kyriazis, AHI Athens Chapter President, each gave remarks reflecting on the program and its significance. Students also had the opportunity to give brief speeches on their experiences, with a common thread of gratitude toward all of the AHI Foundation's supporters. They described the foreign policy trip as an immensely educational and life-changing experience. The evening offered a special opportunity for AHIF supporters, the officials and leaders the students engaged with throughout the program, and the students themselves to come together and celebrate both the success of the program and the students' hard work and dedication throughout it.
AHI President Nick Larigakis extended his gratitude to the program's benefactors, whose generosity makes the AHIF College Student Foreign Policy Trip possible each year. "None of this would be possible without the continued generosity and support of our benefactors, who year after year invest in the next generation of leaders committed to U.S.-Greece and U.S.-Cyprus relations," Larigakis said. "I also want to thank Vice Admiral (ret.) Vasileios Kyriazis, our AHI Athens Chapter President, for his instrumental role in organizing this program's meetings and logistics in Greece." That investment in the next generation was something to celebrate in the students themselves, who left Greece carrying lessons and connections that will shape their engagement with U.S.-Greece and U.S.-Cyprus relations for years to come.
About the AHIF College Student Foreign Policy Trip
Now in its 18th year, the AHIF College Student Foreign Policy Trip is a three-week immersive program that offers undergraduate and graduate students a unique opportunity to explore U.S. policy interests in Greece, the Republic of Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean. Through direct engagement with government officials and military, diplomatic, religious and civic leaders, participants gain firsthand insight into the region’s political, security, economic and cultural dynamics. The 2026 program began with briefings in Washington, D.C., followed by visits to Cyprus and Greece.