Cicero residents gathered at the Community Center on April 6 to celebrate the many contributions of the Greek community during the annual Greek Independence Day commemoration. The special event featured Greek cuisine and entertainment as well as speaker Dimitra Georgouses discussing Greek heritage and its impact in America. Georgouses serves as the National Hellenic Museum’s Education and Public Programs Manager.
Greek Independence Day celebrates the success of the Greek Revolution when the European nation gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th Century. It was the first time any nation had been victorious against the Middle Eastern empire. Former town Assessor John Kociolko served as the emcee for the event. Jerry Bousis, co-owner of Cermak Produce with his wife Eleni, donated the lunch for the event.
The commemoration is one of many festivals, ceremonies and events that honor the multicultural makeup of Cicero. These groups include the Czechs and Slovaks, Greeks, Polish, Lithuanians, African Americans, Italians, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, and other Hispanic and Latin American groups that have called and continue to call Cicero home. Town President Larry Dominick said it is important to honor everyone’s heritage while we work together to forge our own as residents of Cicero.
