The cities of York and New York Celebrate a Century of Transatlantic Friendship: 100 Years of Twinning

All>The cities of York and New York Celebrate a Century of Transatlantic Friendship: 100 Years of Twinning

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2 May, 2024

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“City speaks to City and State to State. The name honorably borne by York for centuries our State bears with equal pride in the New World. A sister State stretches friendly hands across the sea to greet you with affection and prayers that this memorial may symbolize our sterling friendship through years to come.’’
– Governor Smith of New York State, July 1924, The New York Times

The historic cities of York, England, and New York City, USA, will celebrate a century as twin cities next week (May 5, 2024), with a message from His Majesty King Charles III marking the occasion, and dignitaries from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean coming together for an historic ceremony.

Four days of activity in New York City, celebrating the two cities’ shared values, will culminate in a special service at Saint Thomas Church, New York, on Sunday May 5 at 4pm, when a ledger stone designed and carved at York Minster in England will be unveiled. The ledger stone has been placed in Saint Thomas Church as it shares a close relationship with York Minster through its liturgy and music.

Marking the special occasion on Fifth Avenue will be The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, The Revd Canon Carl Turner, and British Consul General to New York, Hannah Young, who will read a message from His Majesty King Charles III.

The long-standing relationship between New York City and York stretches back to 1924, when citizens of New York presented York with a memorial tablet during a service in England, alongside a message from the then President of the United States.

Over the last century, the two cities have gone from strength to strength, forging partnerships across education, the arts, business, and tourism. The Revd Canon Carl Turner, Rector of Saint Thomas will be joined by the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell for the service and unveiling.

The Revd Canon Carl Turner, Rector of Saint Thomas, said: “In its bicentennial year, Saint Thomas Church is delighted to celebrate the historic relationship between old York and New York, as it were, and to uplift our Anglican heritage from which we draw so much tradition and strength. We feel privileged to house this historic ledger stone in our nave and look forward to welcoming delegations from York and the British Embassy.”

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell said: “I’m delighted to be part of this moment when York and New York renew their connection. In a world where there is much division, reaching out across different cultures fosters goodwill and understanding, breaks down barriers and recognizes we are all part of one humanity.”

Hannah Young, British Consul General to New York, said: “For 100 years, York and New York have shared a special bond, and as Consul General to New York, I have seen first-hand at how our countries have learnt from one another’s rich histories, our shared values to promote tourism, and foster business connections that benefit both cities.”

The Very Revd Dominic Barrington, Dean of York, said: “We’re extremely excited that we’ve reached the next step in the program of celebration marking the centenary of this historic moment as we look to further develop connections between the two cities. It comes at a time where work on our Centre of Excellence is well underway, a project that will establish the York Minster Precinct as a world class campus facility for heritage craft skills, so we’re delighted to be able to showcase the talent of our stonemasons and the scheme on an international scale through this gift.”

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