ASTORIA, NY — The Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York has formally petitioned the administration of Mayor Mamdani to designate a section of Astoria as “Little Hellas,” arguing that the neighborhood’s historic Greek-American community was conspicuously left off the city’s newly released Immigrant Enclaves Map.

In a statement released Tuesday, July 19, the Federation — which was founded in 1938 and now represents nearly 100 member societies and thousands of individual members across the metropolitan area — praised the city’s initiative for recognizing the contributions of immigrant communities but noted what it called a significant omission.

“It is therefore with sincere respect that we note the absence of one of New York’s most historic and internationally recognized immigrant communities — the Hellenic-American community of Astoria,” the Federation wrote.

The organization traced Astoria’s transformation into what it described as the largest Greek community outside of Greece, a status built over decades by waves of Greek immigrants who established homes, businesses, churches, schools, restaurants, newspapers, and cultural institutions in the neighborhood following World War II.

The Federation pointed to its own institutional legacy as evidence of that impact, citing its role in organizing New York City’s Greek Independence Day Parade on Fifth Avenue for nearly a century — an event that draws more than 300 participating organizations annually — as well as its founding of Athens Square Park in Astoria, its Stathakion headquarters, and its donation of the second ceremonial flagpole at Bowling Green, the site of the city’s first Greek Independence Day commemorations.

The statement also framed Greek-American history within the broader American story, linking the democratic ideals of ancient Greece to the founding of the United States and noting that the American Revolution later became a source of inspiration for the Greek War of Independence in 1821.

The Request

Specifically, the Federation is asking the Mayor’s Office to grant official honorary recognition to the Steinway-Ditmars section of Astoria as “Little Hellas” under the city’s Immigrant Enclaves initiative. The group also requested the installation of honorary gateway signs at the neighborhood’s principal entrances, bearing the bilingual inscriptions “Welcome to Little Hellas” and “Thank You for Visiting Little Hellas” in both English and Greek.

The letter was signed by Federation President Christos Vournas and General Secretary Anastasios Karangounis, who thanked Mayor Mamdani’s administration for its consideration and expressed hope for continued collaboration to ensure the Hellenic-American community’s story is recognized as part of New York City’s immigrant heritage.