Dear Fellow Americans,
On behalf of myself, my family and the U.S. Mission to Brazil, I would like to extend our warmest wishes to all Americans celebrating Thanksgiving in Brazil this year.
As we commemorate this special day surrounded by loved ones and enjoying our favorite Thanksgiving dishes, we are thankful for the important things in life – our families, our friends and our freedoms. It is a time to be mindful of those less fortunate as well as to show gratitude for those who’ve paid the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that we may continue to enjoy the freedoms we hold dear.
What began as a harvest feast in 1621 has now developed into one of our nation’s most cherished holidays. We are fortunate to enjoy this day in a nation with which we share a strong and stalwart friendship. Just as the Native Americans and Pilgrims united in a spirit of fellowship and goodwill, we too have an opportunity to engage in Brazil’s diverse and multi-faceted culture, and I encourage each of you to do so. In an environment of increasingly complex global issues and times of conflict and uncertainty, let us take comfort in the strength of the ties that bind our two great nations, and strive to ensure that this friendship endures.
Since that first feast nearly 400 years ago, Americans have come together and celebrated Thanksgiving through times of tragedy as well as triumph. As we express gratitude for this year’s bounty, we pray for peace in times of turmoil, and another year of blessings bestowed upon our nation.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ambassador Liliana Ayalde
