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This unique international partnership celebrates the
historical links that Kent shares with the Commonwealth of
Virginia, in the run-up to the 400th anniversary of the founding of
Jamestown in 2007 and beyond.
Jamestown, Virginia was the first permanent English-speaking
settlement in America and it shares many
historical links with Kent.
To celebrate
America's 400th anniversary, businesses and individuals in Kent
were invited to join the Commonwealth of Virginia at the
Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The festival is a major 10-day
event that takes place every year in Washington DC. It spans
America's 4 July celebrations and is the US capital's largest
annual cultural event, attracting more than a million visitors.
Kentish culture, crafts and commerce were on display.
The anniversary commemorations are set to become a major event
in America.
The Kent-Virginia partnership will help the state of Virginia
commemorate its roots in Kent. It is also hoped that the
partnership will benefit tourism, education and business in both
Kent and Virginia.
Former Kent County Council Leader Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart OBE
and the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Mark Warner, gave
the Kent-Virginia partnership formal status by signing a memorandum
of understanding in June 2005. |