Today, the US Consulate is once again proud to welcome Harvard University’s finest a cappella groups to perform a free charity concert in aid of the Bermuda-registered charity, Habitat for Humanity. The Harvard Krokodiloes, the Harvard Din and Tonics, and the Radcliffe Pitches are in Bermuda for their annual spring break and will sing popular, toe-tapping music from the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, including jazz, swing, ballads, and rock from America's Golden Age. This year there will be an exciting addition to the line-up, with the Bermuda Institute’s own En Harmony septet performing several of its signature songs.

Everyone is invited to the free concert today, Tuesday, March 13, from 12.15pm to 1.15pm at the Anglican Cathedral on Church Street. The concert has been arranged in an open-house format and is scheduled for the lunch hour so people can drop in. Come for one song or come for the whole show all are welcome. No reservations or tickets are required.

As the US Consul General to Bermuda, I am proud that these young goodwill ambassadors from Harvard once again offered to give this benefit performance. Their annual trip to Bermuda, when they sing across the island, is a good example of cultural diplomacy, which helps create a foundation of trust with other people and builds relationships with people that endure beyond changes in government.

As a special treat, I am pleased to welcome local a cappella group En Harmony to the concert program for the first time. En Harmony is composed of seven talented students aged 11 to 13 from the Bermuda Institute. En Harmony began singing in March 2010 and has already performed for the Premier and at the annual CableVision awards. These young men are members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Together, these young Bermudian and American men and women are wonderful examples of how much can be achieved when students work hard and are given the opportunity to develop their talents.

The Kroks, the Dins, the Pitches, and En Harmony are happy to be part of the great charitable tradition that characterises Bermuda. So, while the concert is free, Habitat for Humanity Bermuda will accept voluntary donations after the concert. One hundred percent of all the donations go to the charity, which is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and became a Bermuda-registered charity in 2000. Habitat Bermuda addresses the need for more adequate, affordable housing in Bermuda. By partnering with Bermuda businesses and with families in need, Habitat Bermuda renovates substandard or inadequate housing.

Please join in the fun at the Anglican Cathedral today in support of Habitat Bermuda. I would like to thank Bishop Patrick White for again offering the beautiful Anglican Cathedral as the venue for this event.

I look forward to seeing you there.