Thank you!
Good morning to all of you. We’ve just heard this free ad from New York City about Holland and about why we are here. So there’s very little I can possibly add to that. It has been an amazing year and what really touches me this morning is to see so many hard hats in the room. Because all too often the people that actually do the work are overlooked when we celebrate the completion of the work. And I really salute the workers who are here today who have done a remarkable job. The construction is really amazing. You know, having a worker’s background myself, I always feel the warmth of fellow-workers when they are here. Thank you very much for being here.
If you look at the Netherlands this week, we’re all sixteen and a half million - to quote a song – in a ‘New York state of mind’. You see it in the press this morning. Somehow this great city, arguably the greatest city on earth, touches a chord in the Dutch soul. People relate to this city, possibly because we are among its Founding Fathers. Possibly because it resonates in its culture, in its diversity, in its tolerance, in its optimism. It resonates too in Dutch values. This is why we started this project. God knows it was difficult. All those involved know that we were told time and time again that it would not happen. Warrie and Bill, you made it happen. Thank you very much for that.
I also want to mention someone who’s been through a rough couple of days this week. That’s Warrie Price because Warrie’s son was brutally attacked just recently. I am so happy that he is recovering quickly. Warrie, we are so happy that you’re here, that you are looking so well.
Finally, what is the point for me of this project? It’s that New Yorkers and people in the Netherlands sort of rekindled the pioneering spirit that made this country and this city so great. Because we all said, to all those involved in the project, be it Henriëtte van Notten on our side in the Netherlands - who never gives up – she is our Dutch version of Warrie. Be it Ben van Berkel and his vision of architecture and everything he’s done to make it successful. Be it Online Construction. Be it Bill and Warrie themselves. We all had this ‘can-do’ attitude. We said: “whatever people say, we’re going to make this happen”. And it happened. It happened like it did 400 years ago, and it will happen over and over again if pioneers connect and pioneers turn their mind to making things better.
I want to thank you all for being here this morning. I hope you will enjoy the unveiling later this morning because it should be spectacular. It’s been such a great week, such a great day yesterday. With the wonderful reception Their Royal Highnesses got from Mayor Bloomberg and Secretary Clinton on the Intrepid. And we’ll make sure this is an amazing week that nobody will forget. Because what we’re building is a sustainable future in cities where people want to live, recreate, enjoy themselves, be in touch with the natural environment. That is the vision that led to the Battery Conservancy’s marvellous plans for Battery Park. That is the vision within which we want to reconstruct our natural environment. Let’s do this together.
Thank you very much.