Transcript: Mayor Adams Delivers Remarks at Flag-Raising Ceremony for Bolivia

August 4, 2023

Video available at: https://youtu.be/Yrp-kxrBt9c

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you so much. Thank you council general, thank you to the Commissioner of International Affairs, and thanks to all of you who are taking pictures by the bull. If you are from outside the city, how many you outside the city? How many of you live outside the city? Spend money, spend a lot of money while you're here. That's so important. This is so significant. When you think about it, 198 years of independence. It took 110 mayors to finally say to the Bolivian community that you have a right to raise your flag here in Bowling Green because of your work, your commitment, your sacrifice. Not only what you've done in your country, a country that I visit, I know how beautiful your country is, I know the scenic, I know the beautiful scope of the Andes, I know how your food is amazing, I know the mountaintops. I've looked over your entire beautiful country, and you brought that spirit and energy to New York City.

And so, to think that after 110 mayors, you are finally able to raise your flag here in Bowling Green. And there are some who say, there are some who say, when I come to a flag raising for the Bolivian community, for the Pakistani community, for the Bermudian community, there's some who say that the mayor should not spend his time coming here to celebrate your independence and celebrate your commitment to what you do to this city. When they say that, I tell them, "You are wrong." The role of a mayor is to be substantive and symbolic, to symbolism of stating that you matter, your flag matters. You are in a unique place. This is the only country on the globe where you are told, "Don't abandon your homeland as you embrace your new found land."

That hyphen exists between our name, Bolivian -, American African -, American-Japanese, Jewish, Polish, Pakistani, Irish. That hyphen is our secret weapon. So when I come here as the mayor and acknowledge that you have a right to see your flag raised right at the center of our financial strength, I am saying to you, I appreciate what you bring to the city, how you work hard, how you fought through Covid when others were home. You were some of the first respondents delivering food in hospitals, making sure our business continued to function. You could not social distance, you could not work at home. Many of the jobs that the people from the Bolivian community are doing every day compelled them to be outdoors and put yourself on the front line for the people of this city.

And so, on this day, we raise your flag because you raised our city with your commitment and dedication, and we appreciate for you for that. And every year, every year that you do your flag raises, as long as I am the mayor, I will be here to tell you that I appreciate you. The number of countries that finally had their flag raised, that finally have been acknowledged in this city through this administration has been amazing.

Now, there are those who've always had their flag raised. There are those who were always able to have their parades. There were those whose always had been celebrated. You lived in the shadows of those celebrations. Well, on January 1st, 2022, when Eric Adams became the mayor of the city of New York, you're no longer in the shadows of the American dream. You are walking in the sunshine of what America stands for and what America represents. And I thank this community for who you are and what you bring to this amazing city. Our secret weapon is our diversity. That is our secret weapon, that is what makes us great.

So I know that New York City, La Paz may be the capital of your government, but New York City is the capital of your heart. We are proud to raise this flag today with our Bolivian community. I love Bolivia, I love all that you represent. I can't wait to give back again and visit you again. Thank you so much for allowing us to be here.