The U.S. Embassy co-hosted the annual Dutch-American Friendship Day reception together with the organization “Americans Overseas Remember” (OAR).
Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Kingman delivered brief remarks and presented a Certificate of Appreciation to the Board of the “Stichting Herdenking Amerikaanse Kerstviering 1944” (SHAK 1944).
Each year, they organize the Christmas Eve Mass in the caves of Maastricht to commemorate the Mass of 1944. SHAK 1944 President Jons van Dooren joined Mr. Kingman in cutting the ceremonial cake.
In 1982, Mrs. Roberta Enschede and OAR submitted a resolution to the U.S. Congress to designate April 19 as Dutch-American Friendship Day. The resolution passed the Senate and the House of Representatives as a Joint Resolution – HJ 410.
President Ronald Reagan also issued an official proclamation that year recognizing April 19 as Dutch-American Friendship Day.
Pupils and teachers from the Mondial College in Nijmegen joined the reception after participating in the special online competition in which they explained what Dutch-American Friendship means for them.
Dutch-American Friendship Day 2017 Reception
Dutch-American Friendship Day 2017 Reception
High school student Warren de Vreeze reads out the Proclamation on Dutch-American Friendship Day, that was signed on April 12, 1982, by President Ronald Reagan.
Representatives of the Foundation Commemoration of the American Christmas Celebration 1944 receive a Certificate of Appreciation from Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Kingman on behalf of the organization Overseas Americans Remember (OAR) for their contribution to Dutch-American Friendship.
A book on the Schark quarry, where on Christmas Eve in December 1944, a Midnight Mass was commissioned for American soldiers who were stationed in or around Maastricht.
Dutch-American Friendship Day 2017
