Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., First Lady Yolanda Bryan and Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach will lead a delegation of officials from the Government of the Virgin Islands in welcoming their counterparts from the neighboring British Virgin Islands to celebrate USVI-BVI Friendship Day on Saturday on St. Thomas.
The theme for this year’s gathering is “A 46th Sapphire Celebration of Camaraderie, Community & Culture.”
Premier Andrew Fahie, his wife, Sheila, and Speaker of the General Assembly Julian Willock will be leading the delegation from the BVI. They will be accompanied by members of the BVI Government Ministry and members of the BVI General Assembly.
A number of events are planned, and the public is invited to attend the celebration beginning at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Austin “Babe” Monsanto Terminal at Crown Bay Center on St. Thomas.
The festivities will include cultural displays that include dancers, music and other examples of tradition and culture that are unique to each territory and shared among the neighboring islands.
In honor of the USVI-BVI Friendship Day celebration, Gov. Bryan issued a proclamation to recognize and commemorate the event.
“USVI-BVI Friendship Day provides both territories with a chance to renew old acquaintances, discuss old and present times and future opportunities for joint cooperation, and to reflect on how they have survived and flourished as a people, despite the many challenges they have encountered in the past,” Bryan said in the proclamation.
USVI-BVI Friendship Day has been celebrated between the two territories since 1972 and was designed to strengthen and build upon that bond of friendship highlighting the commonalities, the shared history and the shared culture of all Virgin Islanders.
