That was the message at the start of celebrations to mark the 400 years of links between the Netherlands and New York.

The Netherlands has given a 400th birthday present to New York City - a pavilion in Battery Park designed by Dutch architect Ben van Berkel. It's at the location where Captain Hudson became the first European to land in America in 1609.

He was on board the Dutch ship 'The Half Moon' and was in search of a shorter route to Asia, but instead 'discovered' the island of Manahata, which was inhabited by Indians.

Dutch colonialists set up the town of 'New Amsterdam', that later became known as New York. Manahata is now known as Manhattan.

A city open to all
The influence of the Dutch colonialists can still be found in various parts of the great city. Brooklyn is named after the Dutch village of Breukelen, and Harlem is named after the Dutch town of Haarlem. But, said Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg:

"Maybe the most important influence past down from those days - and I think the reason why New York is so successful - was the spirit of tolerance. This city is really defined by its tradition of welcoming people from every country and every faith. And giving them a chance to work hard and fulfil their dreams. And that's a quality that New Yorkers are deeply proud of to this day. And something that we owe to our original Dutch founders."

Mayor Bloomberg said these words at the launch of the celebrations, in the presence of Amsterdam's Mayor Job Cohen and Dutch Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Frans Timmermans. The two Dutch guests stressed the 'common DNA' shared by the two cities. Mr Timmermans said:

"My country only very recently gained independence. The Dutch were driven by their zeal for freedom, their passion for tolerance and by their unwavering belief that everyone should have a shot at the pursuit of happiness. And these were the principles the Dutch brought to these boards, when they settled here. These are principles with which this great city was built and that still govern this city today."

Hopes of a tourist boom
At the start of the NY400 project in New York, Mayor Bloomberg made a point of mentioning the large numbers of tourists the city hopes to welcome this year.

In these financially difficult times, he said, they're extra welcome, including the Dutch, of whom about three hundred thousand visited the city last year.

A lot of activities have been organised for both the tourists and New Yorkers themselves, many with a Dutch flavour. That includes parties, debates, exhibitions, walks through old Dutch places in the city, and bulbs in the Botanical Gardens.

A high point will be the NY400 week from 8-13 September, with the subtitle 'Holland on the Hudson'. There's also a mini theatre festival on the historic Governor's Island based on the annual Oerol Festival in the Dutch town of Terschelling.

Birth certificate
Historic documents from the Dutch archives will be on display, including the so-called 'Schagen Letter' from 1626, which is regarded as the 'birth certificate' of New York. According to the documents, the Netherlands had bought Manhattan from the Indians for sixty guilders.

There's also plenty going on in the Netherlands to mark the NY400 celebrations. The Keukenhof will this year display a spectacular flower mosaic of the Statue of Liberty made of more than 25,0000 flower bulbs. Furthermore events will be organized with an American theme, a special American garden will be designed and visitors can follow a surprising theme route. The Anne Frank House will also be open in the evening, and various culture events have been organised.

In both cities, young people will debate living in the city, with freedom of thought and tolerance high on the agenda. Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen says that:

"You still feel that [spirit] in the city of Amsterdam, as well as in New York. Although, if you ask people in New York whether they realise it goes back to this time, they'll say they didn't know. And I can understand that, because it's a long time ago. But the same kind of DNA, that's what it's all about."

Philip Smet
Radio Netherlands