On Thursday, January 13, 2011, New York State Assemblywomen Aravella Simotas (D) and Nicole Malliotakis (R) visited the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in New York City for a meeting regarding the Archon New York State Legislative Religious Freedom Initiative. Also participating in the meeting were National Commander Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Council member Peter Skeadas and Regional Commander Nikiforos Mathews. Dr. Limberakis began the meeting by informing the legislators that thirty-eight religious freedom resolutions have been passed or letters sent by thirty-eight state legislative bodies across the United States, an enormous success to this point. He further impressed upon the legislators that the issues that plague the Ecumenical Patriarchate relate to the fundamental right of religious freedom in Turkey for all peoples, and not just Orthodox Christians. As part of the Archon initiative in the State of New York, the Assemblywomen will be circulating to their colleagues a religious freedom letter–with language virtually identical to that found in state resolutions that have been passed–that will express the profound concern of the state’s legislators and the citizens they represent for the religious freedom rights of the Holy See. Senators Dean Skelos (R) and Michael Gianaris (D) will be pursuing a similar letter in the New York State Senate.