Speech by the Prince of Orange at the unveiling of the Dutch Pavilion

Dear Mayor, Excellenties, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends of New York,

Can you think of any place in America that better reflects the multiplicity of this great nation's history than Battery Park? For centuries, native Americans knew and loved this place as Manna Hatta. Then, 400 years ago, Henry Hudson accidentally discovered the island that would become the perfect spot for a Dutch settlement and in the decades following his arrival, the foundations were laid for the world's greatest city.

Here, Americans later fought for their independence. Here, the economic system that now dominates the world was forged. Here, countless immigrants from all corners of the world first set foot in their new homeland. From here, tens of thousands of American troops were shipped out to Europe to help defeat despotism and bring liberty to the oppressed.
This place epitomises the American dream.

Since those earliest days, 400 years ago, the Dutch and the Americans have shared the same dream. Its basic components are a zeal for liberty, a craving for opportunity and a passion for morality and tolerance. These ideals sum up who we are.
This is the foundation on which we have built our relationship over the last 400 years and it will remain the basis for our relationship in the future.

To mark the deep bond between our country and this great city in this great nation, we want to present the City of New York with a lasting token of our friendship. The Dutch pavilion, designed by Ben van Berkel, symbolises both our shared legacies and our joint commitment to the future.

We want to build this future on the same values that inspired the first settlers and led to the creation of an American dream that continues to inspire hundreds of millions, not just across this nation, but worldwide. The pavilion's spectacular design reflects the best tradition of Dutch architecture. Does the structure hint at the petals of a flower, or the wings of a windmill? In any case, in its design and use of materials it reflects our ambition to build a better, more sustainable future for our children.

Battery Park is also the place where New York is rediscovering its special relationship with the waterfront, viewing nature as an essential part of city life, and recognising the need to make city life more sustainable and healthy. This is reflected in the unique development made possible by the Battery Conservancy and by initiatives such as the High Line (which features designs by Piet Oudolf, the celebrated Dutch horticultural designer).

And here we again find a common trait running between the New Yorkers and the Dutch. We are proud of our past, but we do not dwell on it. We are forward-looking opportunity seekers.

That is what brought the first settlers to these shores, and that is what will ensure our everlasting bonds of friendship.