Former champion of Hellenism Senator Paul Sarbanes has passed away

The news of his death was announced by his son and Maryland MP John Sarbanes, saying: "My father, Senator Paul Sarbanes, passed away peacefully this afternoon in Baltimore."

Paul Sarbanes persistently defended the issues of Hellenism for 30 years in the US Senate. He had served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, being one of the pioneers in imposing the US arms embargo after the invasion of Cyprus.

Pavlos-Spyridon Sarbanes was born in 1933 in Laconia and always maintained very close ties with his place of origin. He was continuously elected to the state legislature in Maryland and then as a senator until 2007 when he retired from active political activity.

He was one of the most powerful personalities of the Greek community in the United States and continued to fight for the supremacy of the democrats within the Greek community. In Greece, he became known for his struggles concerning the promotion of the National Issues of Greece and Cyprus, but also in favor of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Theological School of Halki.

It is worth noting that Paul Sarbanes's political career is continued by his son John who was elected in Maryland.

Baltimore-born John Sarbanes, a father of three, studied public and international affairs at Princeton University and Harvard Law, while he also lived in Greece for a year. Before entering politics, he worked as a lawyer in public positions as well as in the private sector.