THE AMERICAN CONSULATE GENERAL

For Immediate Release
June 1, 2006

US Consulate and American Society Team with Corporate Bermuda and Local Charities to Celebrate Freedom and Give Back to Bermuda

-- Comments of US Chief of Mission Gregory W. Slayton
on the Celebration of US Independence Day 2006 --

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the media kick-off event for this year’s American Independence Day Celebration.

First, let me give a special welcome to the Honorary Event Chairpersons: 

• Dr. The Honorable Deputy Premier Ewart Brown, JP, MP
• The Honorable Opposition Leader Mr. Wayne Furbert, JP, MP.

I also extend a very warm welcome to our four premium sponsors:

• Mr. Ralph Richardson, Executive Director, the ACE Foundation
• Mr. Rick Mello, Senior Vice President, Allied World Assurance Company
• Mr. Gaston Tano, Corporate Controller & Bermuda Managing Director, Bacardi
• Ms. Sonia Whayman, Manager, XL Foundation.

Thank you all for being here today to talk about the renaissance of July 4th celebrations in Bermuda, which is a joint effort this year of the American Consulate, the American Society of Bermuda, the leading corporations of Bermuda and over 50 of Bermuda’s best non-profit organizations.

For Americans everywhere, Independence Day is a cause for the celebration of freedom.  Whether it’s freedom of speech, freedom to worship, or freedom to live as you see fit, freedom is certainly one of the most basic of human rights, and one that Americans and Bermudians value highly.  Personal Freedom – when intertwined with personal responsibility and the rule of law – is the basis for functioning democracies. Freedom deserves celebration always, but especially on July 4^th we recall the true meaning behind the holiday.

The American Society of Bermuda has celebrated Independence Day for many years as a way to bring Americans and Bermudians together to advance the cause of liberty and to enhance friendship and understanding between Americans and the peoples of Bermuda. 

This year’s July 4^th celebration - scheduled for July 1^st from 5-10 pm at Morseby Plain near Dockyard - is a team effort between four equal partners:

• the American Society of Bermuda
• Over 50 of Corporate Bermuda’s best companies
• Over 50 of Bermuda’s best charities
• the United States Consulate

This year’s Celebration is truly going to be one for the record books. It will be enormous in every way:

• in sheer numbers of guests (over 5,000 guests are expected),
• in the number and variety of field activities, games and events (almost 100 are planned),
• in stage entertainment (8 live bands will perform, including the Bermuda Regiment Band and the Williamsburg Fife & Drum Corps from Lynchburg, VA),
• in the amount of food and drink to be consumed (we believe it will be the largest outdoor BBQ ever hosted in Bermuda),
• and in the spectacular fireworks display that will be the largest in Bermuda’s history. 

But perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this year’s treasured American holiday celebration is its underlying theme: “Celebrating Freedom: Giving Back to Bermuda.”  In support of that idea, corporate Bermuda has very generously supported the American Society, itself a registered charity, to host this year’s event in partnership with over 50 of Bermuda’s best registered charities. 

Let me say a word here about our corporate sponsors. Simply put, Corporate Bermuda cares.  We have been overwhelmed by the care, the concern and the compassion of Corporate Bermuda for the people of Bermuda – and especially for those who might be less fortunate than others. Scores of Bermuda’s finest companies have stepped up to the plate at various levels of sponsorship to provide the funds necessary to host the event and, most importantly, to support the 50+ Bermuda charities that will directly benefit from this event. 

Representatives of our premium sponsors are here and will say a few words in a moment, but first I want to recognize them specifically and express our deep appreciation to these companies for their strong leadership:

·        the ACE Foundation

·        Allied World Assurance Company

·        Bacardi

·        the XL Foundation.

I also want to acknowledge our five gold sponsors and thank them and all of our corporate sponsors for their incredible generosity and their obvious concern for the people – all the people of Bermuda.  Our gold sponsors are:

• Arch Capital Group
• American International Group
• Butterfield Bank
• Montpelier Re
• Renaissance Reinsurance

All of them have played important roles in this July 4^th Celebration.  It is they who have made it happen.  It is they who deserve much of the credit.  So thank you, Corporate Bermuda, for giving back to Bermuda.

Because of our generous Corporate Sponsors, each charity providing volunteers to organize the events or to help with logistics will receive a sizable donation. In addition, participating charities will have the unique opportunity to inform our 5,000 guests (each a potential member and/or donor) about that Charity’s role in the community.

We will be encouraging each of our 5,000 guests to “Give Back to Bermuda” by choosing at least one charity to work with going forward. So we hope that the benefits of the Celebration will be on-going for the months and years to come.

Among the charities benefiting from corporate sponsorship are a wide variety of non-profit organizations, some well-known like PALS, AGAPE House and the Women’s Resource Center and other great charities such as Project Change Bermuda, the Flyers’ Track Club, Young Life and Riding for the Disabled. 

Freedom comes with obligations, one of which is giving back to the community.  That is what this year’s July 4^th celebration is all about. It will provide guests with the opportunity to take a good look at deserving charities – conveniently assembled at a single venue.  It is an opportunity to become a volunteer for Bermuda.  We hope that each of our 5,000 guests will have a GREAT time – and that each one will choose a charity and give back as our corporate sponsors have.

The old-fashioned, family atmosphere of July 4^th is the perfect time to relax and to enjoy the company of Americans and Bermudians alike who value freedom and want to combine fun with community service.

We look forward to hosting all of our guests and everyone in Bermuda who loves freedom is invited.  But tickets are going fast and we will almost certainly “sell out” in the next two weeks.