The US Consulate General and the Bermuda National Trust celebrated the 250th anniversary of American independence and the country’s deep ties to Bermuda.

Antoinette Hurtado, the Consul-General, marked the occasion with the cutting of a red, white and blue cake at a celebration held at the BNT’s Globe Museum in St George.

Ms Hurtado said that much of the history of the United States is intertwined with that of Bermuda.

She said: “Bermuda has been with us even before our founding. It’s really important to acknowledge that, acknowledge that friendship and commemorate it, because Bermuda has been one of our partners now for more than 400 years.

“It’s important that we commemorate this because 250 years is a lot, and so much of that has been with Bermuda as a partner.”

Ms Hurtado said that the historical connections are highlighted in museums across the island, but the US Consulate General welcomed opportunities to share the story even more broadly so more visitors can appreciate the relationship.

She added: “That is one of the things we have focused on in this 250 years as a consulate — really trying to highlight those moments of shared history.

“I have been going around to different sites that tell the story of the US-Bermuda friendship, highlighting it on social media and sharing it with others.

“The consulate has a role, of course, and we are doing our part to bring it to life a bit more in our 250th year.”

Ms Hurtado said that the US would always be the island’s closest neighbour and the economies of the two nations are close, but she would welcome a stronger connection as the island debates its path forward.

She said the relationship has developed with shifting global events, but as changes continue and challenges arise, so will opportunities to grow closer.

She specifically noted Bermuda’s involvement with Nasa.

Ms Hurtado said: “As things evolve geopolitically, there will be more room for collaboration on various issues.”

She said that since coming to the island, she was proud of her work assisting with negotiating on international agreements.

Ms Hurtado added: “Of course, Bermuda has strong ties to the US economy and imports a number of things from the United States, and I have been working with various members of Government and the private sector on how else we can strengthen these ties to get Bermuda the products it needs.

“We’ve also been working with various security partners to make sure we are supporting each other in the North Atlantic and, education-wise, there are so many US colleges or universities that are offering scholarships or benefits for Bermudian students, and something we will be doing this summer and into the fall is getting the word out.”

She said she hopes to help further develop the relationship between Bermuda and the US while in office, stating: “It’s such a fantastic relationship, it’s such a productive one, and I am always looking for ways that we can do more with each other as things evolve in the world and there are new challenges to face.”