Dr. John Nathanas with the Asian Cultural Federation and friends.Dr. John Nathanas describing Crete and travel to Greece to Mrs. Irene Cheung of the Asian Cultural Federation.A historic press conference was held by the Asian Cultural Federation, at 12:30 p.m. in Laterna Restaurant, 47-20 Bell Blvd. on June 24. Apostoli Zoumpaniotis of Greek News began a campaign in April 2010 to promote tourism to Greece. His articles ignited the imagination of Asians and Greek-Americans working on the 2010 Census. An education coalition emerged with Surgeon, International Leader and Founder of DIAS International Academic Studies Dr. John Nathanas and the 2010 Community Service Award winner of the Chinese American Voters Association of USA Inc., (CAVA) and President-Elect Irene Cheung.

“We will announce the first Greek Language Course at the University of Crete, Greece in this summer that our organization will participate in,” Cheung said.

The 2010 DIAS International Academic Studies Summer Program is stationed at the University of Crete. The college program consists of six weeks of study and gives up to ten college credits.

“The Chinese discovered the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet,” Nathanas explained. “They have discovered the importance of olive oil in lowering cholesterol in their diet. The Prefecture of Iraklion, similar to our county of Queens, New York, recently visited China, and expressed an interest in establishing trade ties in the importing of olive oil from Crete to their country. In fact, they expressed the wish to buy up all Cretan olive oil.”

Dr. Nathanas continued saying that a DIAS two-week excursion is being planned from August 15th to 30th in Crete with Mrs. Cheung and the Asian Cultural Federation. The tour will additionally visit Athens, Olympia, Delphi and Santorini.

“Study in Greece is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our youth,” Cheung said. “In addition, we, as Chinese- Americans will have the opportunity to visit the birthplace of Western civilization. We will see the unity of China, the basis of Eastern civilization with Greece.”

The Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Hellenic Republic on March 22, 2007, said that the origins of Asian and Western civilizations, China and Greece have both made great contributions to the human history. The two peoples hold warm and friendly feelings toward each other. Since the forging of diplomatic ties 34 years ago, the two countries have built up sound relations on the basis of equality, mutual respect and benefit to the history of human development. The Asian civilization represented by ancient China and the Western civilization represented by Ancient Greece interacted with each other and glorified each other. Today, the two countries are working together for their greater prosperity and a better world. Mutual interest and mutual benefit has ushered in a golden period of cooperation, has generated more opportunities for China and Greece, and has fully proven that different cultures surely can coexist and cooperate peacefully and fruitfully, thus contributing to a harmonious world.

For more information, visit www.diascourses.com or e-mail: acf.nyusa@gmail.com.