Ladies and gentlemen,
The Queen and I are delighted to see you all here at the Freedom Tower in Miami. It’s wonderful to be gathered together in this iconic building that has stood as a symbol of this proud city for a hundred years.
In the past few days we’ve had an opportunity to get to know Miami even better, and it’s been a fantastic experience. It’s difficult to summarise it all, but three things stood out.
First, the sense of optimism that you feel. Miami is a city of enterprise. It’s great to experience the dynamism of Florida.
Small and medium-sized enterprises thrive here – and that feels familiar, because they are a key driver of growth and innovation in the Netherlands too. Our economies are becoming ever more intertwined. It’s exciting to witness that and to be able to make a modest contribution.
A second striking feature of Miami, and Florida generally, is the rich variety of cultures you find here. And of course, above all, the connection with the Caribbean.
After all, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is just as Caribbean as it is European. Three of the countries in our Kingdom – St Maarten, Curaçao and Aruba – are located in the region, and that fills us with pride.
It’s a source of strength to feel at home in a diverse environment and to be able to bring different worlds together. That was a recurring theme in our conversations with residents, students and business owners in Miami. We enjoyed those encounters, for example in Little Havana.
And finally, we observed something we already knew before our visit, but which the past few days have made even clearer. Florida and the Netherlands have a great deal to offer one another.
I would even say that we need each other in order to devise solutions to some of the urgent issues we both face.
It’s great that our visit has helped bolster our cooperation in the fields of water management and the maritime industry. This will increase our resilience to flooding and raise our ports and shipping to a higher standard.
I’m also pleased with our close contacts in the areas of health, welfare and elder care. By working together, we’re improving people’s lives, and it’s wonderful to see that.
The Queen and I will take all these wonderful experiences – and many others – with us. We’re extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed to the success of the programme. Thank you for your hospitality.
And thank you for reaching out and sharing so many special stories with us.
Florida and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are natural partners, and I know we will stay close. We wish you all the very best!