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Mayflower 400 International Programme Announcement hosted at House of Commons
5th December 2018
Today will see the official announcement of the Mayflower 400 international programme, a four-nation commemoration marking the sailing of the Mayflower ship in 1620 from England to the New World. Plymouth's full programme for 2020 was announced in November.
The Mayflower 400 will explore all aspects of the Mayflower history and legacy reflecting the core themes of imagination, humanity, freedom and future. The programme encompasses a national visitor trail of 11 destinations in England, 12 months of cultural and events activity in addition to sporting, cultural, community and volunteering aspects.
The event, which will take place in the House of Commons from 4pm to 6pm will see global representatives unite from all of the four nations and will send a clear message from all, regarding the strength and significance of the relationship between the UK and the United States of America.
Michael Ellis, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism said, “The Mayflower 400 project will commemorate an important part of both UK and American history and I look forward to seeing how the story will be told and the impact the project has in the UK and beyond."
The Mayflower 400 commemoration programme in 2020 will comprise over 400 events and is anticipated to yield a significant £440m impact on the business turnover across the UK Mayflower Compact destinations.
Robert Wood Johnson, US Ambassador to the UK who visited the Mayflower 400 Project Headquarters in Plymouth last week commented, “The Mayflower 400 Project truly brings to life the Special Relationship that we have with one another and is a very tangible example of the strength of our connections and relationships. The message I would like to get across on Brexit and our relationship is that our relationship with the UK is strong and unbelievable. It’s our most important relationship both in security and prosperity. While we go through times when we may not understand the other’s exact course, no matter what happens in Brexit, you can be assured the United States will be your best ally.”
Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said, “We’re proud to be working closely with the Mayflower 400 team and to be strengthening cultural connections with our American partners from the Wampanoag community and British consulate in Massachusetts – these connections will help to boost the flow of talent that is so crucial to the arts and creative industries, one of the fasted growing economic sectors in England.
"The Art of the Possible cultural programme will benefit from £700, 000 of Arts Council National Lottery funding, creating unprecedented opportunities for people in cities across the UK, to consider afresh the meaning of the ship that set sail from the Mayflower steps some 400 years ago."
Adrian Vinken, Chair of Mayflower 400 comments, “The Mayflower voyage was one of the most influential journeys in global history and a defining moment in the shared history of Britain, the US and the Netherlands. This programme not only stands to strengthen our transatlantic links yet further but with will also yield a significantly positive impact on both our political stance and economy.”
VisitBritain/ VisitEngland Chief Exec Sally Balcombe said, “We know that visitors from US are interested in finding out about their history and Mayflower 400 will draw more tourists to our shores as they come to experience the once in-a-lifetime events taking place next year. The US is our most valuable inbound visitor market and these historic celebrations are also a fantastic opportunity to promote our outstanding tourism products and experiences, driving growth in tourism and boosting the local economy.”
The 11 UK member destinations within the Mayflower 400 programme are:
- Plymouth, Devon
- Austerfield, Doncaster
- Boston, Lincolnshire
- Dartmouth, Devon
- Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
- Harwich, Essex
- Immingham, Lincolnshire
- Scrooby & Babworth, Nottinghamshire
- Southwark, London
- Southampton, Hampshire
- Worcestershire
Find out more at www.mayflower400uk.org or browse the detailed national announcement here.