Hello everyone,
Thank you again for adding your name to the Petition for Change and for supporting the FDF ministry. We received a response after our third letter, which was sent to His Eminence, the FDF Board, and the Metropolis Council.
The response does not address the core requests raised, nor does it provide any concrete commitments, timelines, or actions related to quality, ethics, operations, or transparency.
Below is the response we received, we are sharing it in full for transparency.
"To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for your correspondence and for sharing your perspectives regarding the Folk Dance & Choral Festival. We are encouraged by the clear LOVE for FDF reflected in your message and share your commitment to this ministry and to the young people and communities it serves throughout our Metropolis.
Your communication has been received and will be reviewed thoughtfully. We encourage all communities to participate in the recently distributed survey, as this feedback assists in the ongoing evaluation and strengthening of the program.
As we prepare to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of FDF, we remain focused on working collaboratively to support a ministry that continues to unite our communities and serve our youth in a spirit of mutual respect and shared purpose. We welcome continued dialogue and are always open to reviewing and discussing specific areas of concern directly. Please feel free to reach out to any member of the Executive Board (identified below) directly to help facilitate such a conversation.
In Christ's Service,
FDF Board of Trustees
His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos, Executive Chairman
Spiro Beckas, Co-Chairman
Michael Syrengelas, Co-Chairman
Fr. Gary Kyriacou, Director of Ministry
Christa Barbas, Judge Coordinator/Liaison
Manoli Rodarakis, Director of Operations"
They redirected us to an FDF survey. The survey is largely general satisfaction and hotel feedback, and it does not directly ask about many of the key concerns. Please complete it anyway, encourage your community to do the same, and keep a copy of your responses. Most importantly, use the open comment boxes to clearly document the petition concerns.
Over the next few weeks, we will share Phase 2 steps and ways to support. We will continue to keep our communication respectful and solutions-focused. At the same time, we will not allow the core issues to be minimized or ignored.
More to come shortly. Thank you again for standing together.