Mayor says Pelosi visit vote of confidence in bringing positive change for City Region

MAYOR of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr John Boyle said the visit today by the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelossi was a huge honour for the city.

And he said it was a significant vote of confidence in the work being done to bring about real and positive change for the citizens of the City region.

Speaking at a reception in the city’s Guildhall today, Mayor Boyle spoke about the strong historic, business and political links between the City region and the United States and the strong determination and ambition to further build and develop those links.

Mayor Boyle said the visit by President Clinton to Derry in 1995 had brought hope and gave the people of the city confidence to seek a different future. He said today’s visit was a strong endorsement of the message to renew that commitment.

He acknowledged the strong commercial relationship the city has with the US in terms of trade and investment and spoke of the commitment on both sides to continue to work in close collaboration to strengthen those relationships to create a prosperous and peaceful future for everyone.

He paid tribute to John Hume, who could not attend but who was represented by his wife Pat, by acknowledging his political “vision, tenacity and imagination.”

The Mayor acknowledged the challenges the City region faces with Brexit and reassured the delegation that by working in close partnership we have created a strong functioning cross border economy that is both resilient and robust.

He thanked Ms Pelosi for taking time out of her busy schedule to visit Derry and for her tireless support for the Good Friday Agreement.

Concluding he said: “With the words of President Clinton, “Let’s finish the job” because there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.

“I have absolutely no doubt the people of this city will be fully appreciative of your assistance in realising our ambition.”

The US House Speaker arrived this morning for a visit to the Derry/Donegal border where anti-Brexit protestors held a demonstration.

She later visited the Magee Campus at the Ulster Unversity where Congressman Richie Neale received an honorary doctorate.

Mrs Pelosi also went for a walkout in Derry visiting the iconic Peace Bridge linking bit sides of the city.

Her US delegation have now left Derry for a series of engagements in Belfast before flying back to the USA.