Mayor Eileen Foley


Thank you very much. Honored guests, old friends and new friends, and ladies and gentlemen: on behalf of the City of Portsmouth, I welcome you to the second Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum, and as you can see and hear, we use the word "forum" very wisely. This is not a debate; it is a place of conversation and learning, where we can learn of the past, seek out the future from this group of forums that we have instigated. This is truly a remarkable program that can give us such a tremendous insight into our future, for we really are the nucleus, and we hope that we can make a real difference.

As you are so completely aware, the Russian-Japanese Peace Treaty was signed here, in 1905; and during the coming year, in August and September, we will be looking forward to the 90th anniversary of the signing of this momentous peace treaty. This is not simply an anniversary; it is a symbol. A symbol of two nations signing an agreement, a treaty, in a third country, in a very small seaport city, which rose to prominence simply by the announcement that the treaty would be signed here. Such an honor, such a happening for us, and such results from the signing back in 1905. Portsmouth, New Hampshire has grown in many ways. Due to the fact that we are the only city on the actual seacoast of New Hampshire with its eighteen miles of seacoast, we, on our own, and without very much of federal monies, which might have been used, have restored, have recuperated, have grown, and we have changed our whole personality into one of welcoming people from all areas, all countries, all races and colors and creeds, and we really feel that we are a truly cosmopolitan city. From this anniversary in 1995, we will in the new future rally everyone again for a wonderful grand celebration. And we plan to start from the bottom up. We are planning to invite all the neighborhoods, and all of our city agencies, the boy scouts, the girl scouts, the young children from church groups, the school children, young groups and old groups, from the ground up we can present such an outpouring of good people for such a noble and good cause -- peace. Peace. And that we can help to light candles throughout the world. This is our hope as we go into 1995, belief in goodness, in social capital. Belief in democracy through people wanting peace. And we hope that these forums will continue, to teach, to help people relate to the past, to learn what has happened, to help us relate to our future. And with what we have learned through forums such as this, we hope to be the catalyst for peace in the future.


We thank all those who have made these forums possible. We are proud that Portsmouth is the seat of this learning process. We pledge our support and all of our endeavors. That is what the future - our future - is all about, and we want it to be a grand future for all who come behind us. That is the hope of the City of Portsmouth, and my own personal, really intense belief. This cosmopolitan and wonderful city of hope that we have recuperated and resolved for so many people. Success is ours if we start from the bottom, with the people, and work up. Up to the stars, ad astra, they say in Latin. We welcome you to our second forum. We look forward to more informational meetings in the future to ensure the success of this 1995 celebration. We thank you all who have come. I hope to be here through all of these forums, and to help ensure that this will be a success not for Portsmouth, but for the whole world. Thank you.

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