This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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British Memorial Gardens to commemorate September 11
06/04/2005
Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson today commemorated
the 67 British victims of the September 11 attacks at the
site of the British Memorial Gardens in New York today.
The Minister presented gifts of Morayshire limestone and
Caithness stone which will form part of the garden
landscape to Bernadette Castro, Commissioner for the New
York State Parks Department.
Speaking ahead of the ceremony Ms Ferguson said:
"The British Memorial Gardens will be a fitting tribute
to the memory of those British citizens who lost their
lives in the September 11 attacks, and its location here in
Manhattan is a testament to the strength of the ties which
bind our two countries together.
"The design of the garden will include limestone from
Morayshire and Caithness stone throughout - a symbol of the
part Scottish American communities have played in
influencing and shaping New York, and the genuine warmth of
feeling that we Scots share with America.
"The British Memorial Garden Trust has been working
tirelessly to see the garden become a reality through its
fundraising efforts, and I wish them all the very best in
realising their ambitions."
The British Memorial Garden is the idea of the British
Community. It is planned for Hanover Square in Manhattan,
an area close to ground zero and with significant
historical connections to the UK.
A Trust has been set up and HRH The Prince of Wales is
patron. It aims to raise a total of $3.5 million dollars
towards the cost of design, construction and maintenance.
Fundraising activities are on-going in both the UK and the
US and include private and corporate donations, charity
auctions and receptions.
The design of the garden was open to competition in the
UK and the US and was won by landscape architects, Isabel
and Julian Bannerman. The design includes use of both
limestone from Morayshire and Caithness stone throughout
the garden.