Mayor Eric Adams: It is great to be here and as I stand before you at the second Arab Heritage event here at Gracie Mansion, I always state that being mayor is both substantive and symbolic. They both go together and they both are as important as the other. The substance of yes, we know, keeping our city safe, investing in small businesses, something that this community knows so well, making sure you're able to worship your faith in peace, making sure that we educate our children and so many of the other important initiatives that we have put in place during our time as the mayor.
But then there's also symbolism. How do we say welcome in a real way? When I'm able to be here and have my consul generals from Morocco, from Egypt, from Lebanon and from other Arab speaking countries, it is our way of saying your patriarchs are welcome here as they experience this great place we call New York City. And nothing personifies that more than the men and women you have among you who are part of the law enforcement community from Arab descent.
They play such a vital role, even as we move forward on what we want our city to be. And when you do an analysis of the mayors of yesteryears, you will find that I'm probably the only mayor that [has] visited your home countries. I enjoy the beauty of Pigeon Rock. I enjoy walking and being in Marrakesh in Morocco. I enjoy what your countries have to offer and how I see that beauty when you're here.
What is more lovely than being in Aswan and sailing down the Nile? What is better than sitting in the Cedar Forest in Lebanon and hearing from the prophet who once lived here in America? You have contributed so much to our city and I want to personally say thank you for your contribution and how you have made this city the greatest city on the globe. And we want to lift you up.
It is unbelievable that it took 110 mayors before the Lebanese flag was raised at Bowling Green and to be able to raise your flags at Bowling Green is a symbol of how we appreciate the contribution. And as we move closer to UNGA, the United Nations General Assembly, where great leaders will come from all over the globe, we want to remember the great leaders we have right here in New York City.
And so I'm proud of this administration. I'm proud of what we have done. I'm proud of those Arab leaders who are [in] the hierarchy of our administration. You heard from two of them. Deputy Mayor Fabien Levy. He sends the right message because if he can be a deputy mayor, then your children of the future can be the mayor. I'm proud of what Kristin has brought and making sure we continue to lift up the Arab-speaking community and educate on the diversity of the community and how often many misconceptions and unknowns fail to tell the real story of the Arab-speaking community.
And so I was proud to march in the Yemeni parade. I was proud to put halal food in our schools. I was proud to have the first Eid celebration here at Gracie Mansion. You grace us with your presence and I was proud to support the first ever Arab-American law enforcement fraternal organization, [where] many of them are here today. And we have done so much and came so far.
The Arab-American community is a beautiful, diverse, inclusive [group] of people of many faiths and backgrounds. And tonight we celebrate each and every one of you and your contribution to the city. We honor the heritage that brings together the Arab world from the Middle East to North Africa and beyond. And thank you for making this historic moment so important.
We're going to honor some of your honorees and some of the great people from your community. But this is such a significant moment because when you open the door of cultures and allow them to grace our lawns with your presence, you also remove the doors off the hinges so they can never again close any group out.
Your presence today in the blue uniform, the hijab, your language, your food, your substance is what makes New York City what it is. And I say never again should we have to wait 110 years before we raise your flag, or 110 years before we honor your heritage, or 110 mayors before we have you in the hierarchy of the government in our city. No more waiting. We will move forward together. Thank you so much.
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