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Emmanuel Velivasakis, Distinguished Engineer and Author, Presents His Book at the Hellenic Cultural Center

By Athena Efter on January 3, 2026

by Athena Efter

Emmanuel Velivasakis, distinguished and notable engineer of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center, recently presented his book Climbing the Peaks of the World, at the Hellenic Cultural Center in Astoria, NY. An introduction was provided by Dean Efkarpidis, a member of the Greek Writers Association. He noted that Velivasakis, when faced with the project of the rebuilding of the St. Nicholas Church and Shrine at Ground Zero, did not see the ruins before him. He saw a message that the city would stand strong again. It wasn’t just job for him, but a mission inspired by a sense of strength, faith, and community. It was a manifestation of his soul and life journey, connecting him to his own values, faith, and culture.

The book’s author Emmanuel Velivasakis

Velivasakis, born in Heraklion on the Greek island of Crete, grew up in the town of Kamarioti, and came to the United States to study. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil/structural engineering. With his expertise in structural design and engineering, he would go on to build some of the world’s tallest buildings including the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Taipei 101 Tower in Taipei, Taiwan, the Jeddah Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the rehabilitation of the Dome of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., before moving on to join the team of world renowned Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava to rebuild the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, destroyed in the terrorist attacks in NYC on 9/11. His book “Climbing the Peaks of the World” is truly a reflection of his own journey that began as a young boy on the island of Crete to a journey around the world building magnificent peaks, which is a metaphor of his own inner personal drive to persevere and succeed, while at the same time connecting him to his roots, his values, his spirituality, and his sense of community.

Dean went on to note that Velivasakis “was a man who build bridges, but did not measure his life as a man who built bridges throughout his professional world, but how many bridges he built in life – bridges of steel that supported skyscrapers, bridges of faith like the St. Nicholas Church and Shrine, and bridges of community, like the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.”

Nikos Alexiou, president of the Greek Writer’s Association

Following the introduction by Dean Efkarpidis, a video presentation and message was shared by the book’s editor, Anna Vlavaki, who is based in Heraklion, Crete. She talked about the man behind the words and how inspiring his journey was to her. He never forgot his family or where he came from, as he he went on to reach the highest pinnacles. She recalled how he told her that “logic many times sets us back” and how important it was to him to always have a “pure heart and soul” in order for there to be meaning. Through the book and the author’s journey, Vlavaki understood that “what we do is not for the sake of showing ourselves, but our work and our actions, to inspire and be inspired” and how that can inspire us back to “climb the peaks” of our own journeys.

Sevasti Boutos

Collaborator and professional colleague Georgia Kokkinidou also addressed her thoughts and reflections, describing him as a man of great character and strong resolve who is always thinking ahead on his next venture to “climb the peaks”, quoting the author’s favorite author Nikos Kazantzakis “that to find your limits, you have to go beyond them”, which she also believes is a true testament to how Velivasakis applies this philosophy to his own life. He didn’t shy away from challenge, but instead embraced it though hard work and perseverance, which is the blueprint for climbing the highest peaks on our life’s journey.

The book’s editor Anna Vlavaki

Readings of excerpts from his book were followed by remarks from the President of the Greek Writer’s Association, Nikos Alexiou. He noted that for Velivasakis, the peak is not just about the heights we climb to achieve professional success, but about the depth we find in that climb that brings us closer to our identity, our faith, our memories, our culture, and connects us to Greece and the Diaspora, inspiring us to contribute to our heritage and to the world. He added that the philosophical message the author is presenting to us is that “the peak” is an intrinsic value rooted in the love of country, a sense of duty, and a sense of contribution.

Georgia Kokkinidou

The closing remarks and thoughts were presented by the author himself. Velivasakis expressed his heartfelt thank you to all who were present and referred to the evening as “a meeting of life on paper” that he was able to share with all. Within the pages of the book, he wanted to share his personal challenges and the triumphs of “climbing the peaks of the world”. He noted that it was about overcoming limitations, maintaining faith amid the challenges, and to keep climbing. He paid tribute to fellow Cretan and world-renowned author Nikos Kazanztakis by quoting him that you should “never see your limitations, but to break past them”. He noted how, as a young man, this concept became a whisper that fueled his inner fire “to climb the peaks” and followed him on his journey. He also recalled how his own mother told him “to reach that place that you can’t”, and he found it strange at first. He asked himself “how could I reach that place that I can’t?” At first, he found it more of an invitation to do just that, and then he saw it as a debt, and finally he saw it as duty and responsibility to fulfill, emphasizing that “the greatest achievement behind success is not success itself, but the meaning behind the struggle.”

Dean Efkarpidis

He noted that one of his most meaningful and important achievements was the rebuilding of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Shrine and Church at ground zero. This project represented more than “climbing the peaks of the world” and success, but a climb toward fellow humanity, to connect spiritually and emotionally, and to rebuild hope.

Most important to him with his book was to bring a sense of Hellenic ethos to younger generations, and to show them how they can turn that sense of Hellenism into community – to go beyond the limits, to give back to their roots and to share it with the world. He added that “you will never be satisfied by neglecting who you are. You have to exert who you are culturally, that you are a Hellene, and then proceed, because that gives you more power to reach the highest peaks of the world.”

To Velivasakis, success ultimately means to reach the pinnacle but still be able to see yourself – to never forget where you came from, who you are, and the people that helped you along the way. We climb not for the sake of climbing, but to enlighten each other.

He ended his remarks by reflecting on the importance of language. Writing the book in the Greek language was of particular significance to him in terms of meaning. By expressing himself in his native language, his words carry the purity and authenticity of truth.

The book presentation was followed by a Q&A with the author, and wine and cheese reception with a taste of tsipouro, a strong Greek spirit often referred to as “Greek moonshine”, for those who really dare “to climb the peaks” and really reach for places they can’t.

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