Leopards Club International Bermuda has been hailed for its commitment to fostering “unity and equality” on its 75th anniversary.

“From its inception, the Leopards Club has proudly impacted the community,” Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, said in a statement.

“By accepting all people as brothers and sisters, regardless of their background, the club became a beacon of hope during a dark period of segregation.

“A highlight of the Leopards Club legacy is its commitment to addressing the pressing issues of the day.”

Through monthly dinners, he said, “the club provided a platform for open dialogue”, and he noted that this “brought together local and international speakers to discuss matters shaping our world”.

Mr Darrell described those talks as “catalysts of change”, which he noted laid the groundwork for a more “equitable and just society”.

During Heritage Month festivities in May, the Department of Culture will host a cultural conference at the Leopards Club. Mr Darrell anticipates “positive outcomes” from the partnership.

He said that the collaboration will tighten “community bonds” and “foster a sense of pride in our shared heritage”.

One of Bermuda’s oldest charities, the Leopards Club was founded in 1949 at the Imperial Hotel. In 1956, it moved to its present headquarters on Brunswick Street.