Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has said Northern Ireland is a place that is building something extraordinary.
Addressing an audience of leaders and influencers from across politics, business, academia and research institutions, the voluntary and community sector and prominent think-tanks at the annual NI Bureau Breakfast in Washington DC, the deputy First Minister said: “Northern Ireland is a place of innovation and talent; and a place where global companies come to invest and to grow and it was great to hear such positive conversations reflecting that within in the room.
“Today more than 1,500 international companies have chosen Northern Ireland as their home. Companies from across the globe, many of them American, have made our cities and communities their home. And nearly two-thirds of those companies choose to reinvest as they recognise that we offer something truly unique.”
Encouraging those who have never been to NI come and visit, she added: “Entrepreneurs, investors and innovators, come and see for yourselves and experience a place where global companies scale ideas and where talent meets opportunity.
“Northern Ireland may be small, but our ambition is not, our talent is not and our future is just getting started.”
READ MORE: Northern Ireland deserves its place on the global stage - deputy First Minister
The Deputy First Minister said this year was especially significant as we mark the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.
She explained: “Northern Ireland is deeply woven into that extraordinary moment in American history. Because among the farmers, merchants, ministers and pioneers who helped shape early America were thousands of immigrants from what is now Northern Ireland — the Ulster Scots / Scotch Irish.
“They helped shape the ideas that would form the foundations of the modern America and when we mark the 250th anniversary, we are not simply marking a moment in American history, we are recognising a shared story.”
Thanking everyone for attending the special event, she said: “Let us deepen the partnership between Northern Ireland and the U.S. and prove that when we work together, there is no limit to what we can achieve.”
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