Messages of goodwill for Bermuda Day 2022 came from David Burt, the Premier, as well as Ernest Peets, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, and Cole Simons, the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr Burt told the community the day represented “time for us to celebrate our unique culture, our proud history and most importantly all of the things that unify us as Bermudians”.

The Premier said this year’s theme, Togetherness, was extremely fitting.

He said: “Not only due to a long period of being forced apart but also because throughout the recent times when we could not celebrate as a community we showed our togetherness and the best of what it means to be Bermudian by supporting one another from afar.

“I am grateful that after all of our hard work and sacrifice, we can again return to celebrating this special day in person one again.

“We can gather together on Cedar Avenue to enjoy the Sinclair Packwood Memorial cycle race, we can cheer the runners on at Bernard’s Park for the Half-Day Marathon, and we can finally line the streets of Hamilton again to watch the Bermuda Day Parade, dance with the Gombeys, gaze at the incredible floats, and enjoy our day as Bermudians.

“We must also take this as an opportunity to remind ourselves that there is more that unites us than separates us.

“We hold a shared history, a shared heritage and shared experiences that bind us and are the foundation of what Bermuda Day is all about.”

The Premier thanked Dr Peets and his ministry team, and the Department of Culture, for “all they have done to ensure that Heritage Month and Bermuda Day can be enjoyed again by all of us”.

“On behalf of the Government, I wish all of you a Happy Bermuda Day!”

Dr Peets said he was “excited to extend my heartfelt greetings to you as we return for the first Bermuda Day Parade” since 2019.

“Certainly, one of the hardest things about the pandemic has been the distance it has created between us.

“It has been difficult not being able to celebrate our traditions, shared experiences and vibrant culture together on occasions like today.

“For this reason, we felt it was important to have a theme that invites us to remember the importance of what binds us as a people.”

Dr Peets said the 2022 Heritage Month theme of Togetherness offered “a chance to reflect on the value of our shared experiences, and being able to come together to support and appreciate each other as members of this small island in which we all live”.

“The past two years have taught us the importance of having a community to rely on; not only during tough times but also in moments of joy and celebration.

“As you enjoy today’s festivities, I hope you are reminded that we are all neighbours from east to west.

“We are all in this together, so let us share our joy, our hope, and our love for this amazing island we call home!

“Thank you for supporting your fellow Bermudians participating in the parade; I know they have all worked so hard preparing for today.

“If you are relaxing at home this Bermuda Day, or spending the holiday at the beach, on the water, or with friends and family, please take some time to pause and consider what the theme of Togetherness means to you.”

Dr Peets called on the community to stay safe over the holiday weekend, and wished all “a beautiful and memorable beautiful day” on behalf of the ministry.

Mr Simons gave best wishes to all on behalf of the One Bermuda Alliance for Bermuda Day — a day established to celebrate “our rich and diverse heritage, and one another”.

Mr Simons said that after the years of “fighting through the global pandemic and all the challenges that came with it, we gratefully embrace the opportunity to celebrate Bermuda Day 2022”.

“Now, more than ever before, we have more reasons to come together on this special day to commemorate what makes us uniquely Bermudian.

“As a people, we know that we are at our best when we are all moving towards a common goal.”

“Indeed, over the past two years, we proved to ourselves and the world that on this 21 square mile island in the middle of the Atlantic, we are a tenacious group of people, resilient and determined to move through the storm of the pandemic together as a community.

“Regardless of ethnicity, I have heard from people from all walks of life, who echo the same sentiment, which is — we know we are not perfect; we have many social, economic, and political challenges to overcome, but as history has proven, we meet those challenges, find solutions to overcome them and as a people, we keep moving forward together, because we are all striving for a better Bermuda.”

Mr Simons said Bermudians wanted to “get back to seeing one another, to having family celebrations, enjoying the beauty of the island and our culture, going on picnics, going to the parade, swimming, relaxing with family at home or travelling”.

“So, on this special Bermuda Day — a day earmarked to celebrate who we are, our deepest hope is that you celebrate Bermuda’s heritage, you celebrate one another and that you have a safe and fun filled Bermuda Day — you deserve it!”