Virginia is board of trustees and Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation board of directors. I share our appreciation for friends and partners gathered today and i acknowledge the leadership of the administration, the gen. Assembly, american evolution and jamestown Yorktown Foundation. Our special appreciation to our partners managing historic jamestown, the National Park service, tribal representatives, and members of the descendents of the jamestown society. Today we commemorate the events that occurred 400 years ago. The distinguished speakers to follow me will capture the importance of todays proceedings and the direct influence still felt today. The history and body would be lost if not for the vision and dedication of women. In 1889 mary Jeffrey Gault and cindy Tucker Coleman founded the associate for the preservation of virginia now known as preservation virginia. Their goal was to save and restore disappearing landscape and buildings that embody our colonial tradition. Successfully securing Mary WashingtonFrederick Berg home. The women establish an organization, 130 years ago and has save more than 500,000 virginia Historic Places. Never veering from the early ambition to acquire jamestown in 1893. Obtaining 22 acres including the foundations of the old churches, within that first decade they brought guests and they convince congress to build a seawall preserving jamestown from further erosion. They made alliances with the colonial games of america, and many families of descendents. To construct this church, place monuments, markers, and gates in advance of the anniversary. Connections between these organizations and this place of his doric memory remain resolute. In early years they launched an excavation to find the foundations for the First Assembly met. Although amateurs their careful notes provided clues to marianna hartley, the senior archaeologist to in 2006 teen led the second archaeological investigation of this church. She and her team peel back the layers of concrete and brick to find evidence of the 5020 foot timbered framed 1617 church and its foundations. One evening the team stood back , the realization that they were looking at the footings of the cobblestone that represent the foundation of democracy. The team on earth the very spot where they First Assembly met. The very base in which we set. Historic jamestown and all of our preservation virginia programs, we embrace a belief that Historic Places offer singular opportunities to connect present and future generations. Standing where history happened, offering experiences that are inspiring and thoughtprovoking. Are preservation efforts capture the complexity of our history as a teenage girl the budget remains of angela, and angolan woman who was brought to jamestown on a ship. With his anniversary, Ongoing Research builds on the internationally recognized work by dr. William kelso and his team. Today dr. James horn leave the jamestown we talked Rediscovery Team to expand the narrative to reflect the perspective of people, english settlers and africans brought them willing to the colony. We follow there for tips here. The archaeological remains of 1617 church that survived through the persistence and patience of women. In 1907 at the dedication of the moral get, remarking on womens leg the quoted that any work that requires sincere, unselfish devotion is always best entrusted to the sympathy of women. Today we , rate commemorate the First Assembly in 1619 and honor all the people , women and men, who ensure that we could stand here where the seeds of our democracy were first planted. Thank you and welcome. Good morning, and thank you for being here for this incredible commemoration, i have the distinct pleasure of representing the commonwealth of virginia, this is a incredible opportunity, this is the site of historic jamestown where we are now needed and also includes the reconstruction of the settlement after the causeway that was when the world was turned upside down with yorktown. This is the first term when 104 brave young men and boys landed in 1607. The site also includes not only the first english settlement, but the construction and remains of colonial virginia. You will find sites directly related to our nation and others that involve the near destruction of our nation. On this island the site of the first english colony, the earthworks of the ports still exists. When you grow up surrounded by history where Different Things are preserved, interpreted, and protected. You accepted as part of your surroundings. Its just home. This is my home. Further stated that why when you see a person in super mart locally. And there dressed in a leggings, a west code or a tri con hat , you think nothing of it. Is just part of being home. The same goes for the native americans in traditional dress, or women in elaborate dresses of bygone eras. Its just home. Bygone is what we do. History for us is a preoccupation and an occupation. It is a central part of our present, and we hope that we will always be making that respect full part of our future. Our neighbors explore, teach, and preserve history as a living. Elizabeth , i want to thank you for the many years for what youve done for preservation virginia. Elizabeth and i spent a lot of quality time back in 2000 and , shes done a marvelous job. Even so we took on the 400th anniversary of Representative Government with all the efforts to better understand the emergence of slavery. The vital role of women and the effects of the colony on the addition of native americans . Is a challenge for all of us to do better. We have worked out a very hard , considerable thought has gone into it. I honestly do not know what they did in 1719 . I do recall what they did in 1819, because i was here to commemorate the 100 and the 200th anniversarys. But when the 20th century arrived, news accounts and records indicate that the efforts of remembrance and commemoration most the involved assist stained salute of our english roots. In point of fact, we do appreciate our english roots, it is foundational to our law and our current political structure. Now we understand so much more, and it is not by accident. We have worked arduously at that. We have examined the event that occurred here, including the consequences intended and unintended. We have done so much with greater sensitivity and honesty. It seems to me that it is our duty, our stewardship that we owe each other. It is our stewardship that we owe america. And then tell it all as best as we can , unvarnished. Theres history and memory. I will leave it to the scholars to make the necessary distinctions between history and memory. Clearly the to enjoy a very close relationship. Someone once wrote that memory remains of subject of reflection and anxiety. Because as people live longer, more than survive the connections to the past. I identify with that, i cant remember the things i used to. Technology and and far more open approach to history may have changed. And i preferably hope so. Clearly people yearn to better understand their own ancestry. We need to pull apart and closely examine our national dna. Historical milestones include commemorations such as what we are celebrating today, they offer us an opportunity for our greater insight and more depth of understanding. We want to remember, commemorate, and respect our heritage. I will now say it is an honor to be enjoined by a contemporary leader who employs his parliamentary and legislative form of government. Is my pleasure to introduce to you sir david lionel, the formal clerk of the house of commons. He the principal constitutional advisor to the house of commons of United Kingdom and an advisor on all of the procedure and businesses. He is a 50 person to hold that role. Present fairfax sometimes i meet him in the senate of virginia. Sir david hosted 2019 commemoration delegate and in 2016 it was keenly interested in the history of james down and all of the relevant matters of today. We are honored to welcome sir david to offer remarks on the intersection and impact of democracy worldwide. Sir david. [ applause ] thank you. For that generous grading. I know some may have difficult see me staring into the sun. So shut your eyes theres nothing to see on this very day 400 years ago, and in this very place, something very special happened. It was a real assembly. Not just a ceremonial meeting like this or a ritual, it was competent, assertive, and ultimately productive. It sat here at the hottest time of year. Hot enough to kill one of its members. We all have some idea what the weather would then law. And then a year later a similar assembly was held in bermuda. Its not just in the spirit of antiaquarius him , that this event 400 years ago needs to be celebrated and acknowledged. Its important not only to you here in virginia, and throughout the united state and all the legislatures which give your country its name. But throughout the world where the idea has taken root. That people wish to be governed by laws made by their elected representatives. And that is Representative Democracy. To represent democracy is not the perfect system of government. It is not the rule of the same, not even in new england. The 22 burgesses that gathered here 400 years ago were not exceptionally righteous or upright men. And they were all men. They were viable to all the frailties shown by their successors, over all over the world. The ideal of Representative Democracy expressed and here again in jamestown 400 years ago , it has survived those centuries of contact with those people. The Jamestown Assembly was the first child of westminster. And the first child occupies a very special place in the parents heart. You have descendents across the united state, siblings to the north in canada, and south in latin america. Across africa and asia and as far away as australia. Their 170 members of the interparliamentary union, that the union of parliament and assemblies. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association whose tie and wearing today. Forgive the garish colors. In the North Greenland has a parliament at 84 degrees north, 52 degrees south. Is the worlds smallest parliament , the Legislative Assembly of the falkland islands, which meets in and building the smaller than this. It has eight elected members , and a vigorous necrotic tradition, as i have experienced. This idea obstructed by authoritarian, resisted by elites, marked by six, sometimes insulted, belittled, or bullied. Again and again it raises the idea of a freely elected representative assembly. Wherever people seek freedom and selfrule. In the 1950s and 19 xts , it happened in the former european colonies in africa and asia and in central and Eastern Europe and most recently in the countries of islam and arab. As we meet on the streets of hong kong , the independence of the Legislative Council is a principal the mound of the demonstrators. In sudan people are fighting and dying for the employee. They had one simple remedy for which thousands have fought and died for over the years to elect their own representatives. Assisting those demand is and should be a common endeavor between those great Representative Democracy. Foremost among them , the United States and United Kingdom. Of course it is not, and never will was quite that simple. As a descendent of the british emancipator william wilberforce, i am only too aware that you are also marking the arrival years ago the first enslaved african men and women in virginia. In 1619 there was no Representative Democracy for women in virginia. And there was no justice for those who occupied the land having an assembly could not begin to write those wrongs we know that around the world Representative Democracy is under attack it will not survive on its own unless it is defended and sustained and criticized by engaged citizens modern assemblies are different in form to jamestown in 1619. Many have professional representatives, staff, sophisticated buildings, temples of democracy like jeffersons wonderful capital in richmond theyre not different in substance and the meeting here 400 years ago of two dozen hot and bothered delegates in this Little Church marks the start of a very big idea that the best form of government is a Representative Government and this is the best protection against tara neri tyranny and i bring you greetings from the mother of parliaments when the magna carta was signed it was a low lying marshy feel field. Jamestown echoes that freedom and rule of law. And 400 years ago the very special today and so is today. Thank you. Sir david, thank you very much for sharing those insightful remarks. I have a number of takeaways, but the one that stood out is that maybe we should emulate the falkland islands, im just trying to figure out who the other seven are going to be . It is indeed my pleasure, gov. Ralph northam and i have known each other for many years. We share a common alma mater which happens to be one of the outstanding public colleges and universities in the commonwealth of virginia. Sometimes known as the Virginia Military institute. Our professional interest took us in Different Directions in life. The governor went on to be recognized as a guild pediatric neurologist, serving our country as a doctor in the army as i struggled to be a humble smalltown country lawyer. Interestingly enough our careers to go back towards each other in the cause of publicly elected service. In some respects that follows a pattern that began 400 years ago at jamestown. Back then everyone knew each other for better or for worse. They knew each other strengths, habits, inclinations, all the attributes to go into human care for. Personally i think bmi did a world of good for both of us. Their billing gets to have discipline imposed upon you. Tradition is enumerated into your brain and you begin to realize that human leadership takes many forms as if human ideas. Ultimately, a democracy , you must work out your differences , have a workable system. Its grounded on sound principal , ordered by tried and true it is vitally important to that effort. Partisan rhetoric is a distraction no matter from whom it comes. Governor northam would agree with me, i believe , that we should all be respectful to our virginia ss hers for having set in motion the system of Representative Democracy enables our people, our citizens, and americans to resolve disputes, remains safe and prosper. We are all beneficiaries of that like. Ladies and gentlemen, its my distinguished honor and pleasure to introduce to you his or so and, the 73rd gov. Of the commonwealth of virginia, ralph northam. [ applause ]. Good morning, its a tremendous village to be with you today. Thank you for the kind introduction, is to share this date with you and thank you for your leadership in virginia. Its also good to see our Lieutenant Governor justin fairfax. Thank you for being here, and to all of our legislators, thank you for your attendance this morning and thank you for your leadership in virginia. As was said , i served as Lieutenant Governor, and that gave me at deep appreciation for the history of the senate as part of the General Assembly. I appreciate general normans service in the senate. I am privileged to be here with him and all you commemorating such important events in our state and our countrys his three. We are gathered here this morning at the spot where 400 years ago, Representative Democracy began on this continent. We look back across these 400 years as the colony of jamestown its hard to imagine what life is like in that colony. Jamestown was an experiment that merely failed it was not founded to give birth to a new way of government or to be it was founded it was played in a martial lifestyle a government. It did not make virginia an attractive place to come. Colonists were not eager to go to virginia. To save the colony the men running their Virginia Company started to make changes to make the place more attractive. With ideas they started talking about a different system of government. They directed the creation of a General Assembly. On this very day, july july 30 july 30, 1619. 22 people met here in this place. This Church Stands on the foundation of the one in which they met. And like today, it was hot. It was humid. For six days they sweated out the details of what will become our first Representative Government. They built a framework to settle disputes , pass law, and manage the colony through discussion and legislation. Over the years and centuries as the Jamestown Colony and the Plymouth Colony became 13 colonies , then state , and they became united as america, the ideals of freedom and Representative Government have flourished. They spread out on this very ground in jamestown. That is not the only thing that spread from this place. While we mark this history we must remember that it is more complex the story of virginia is rooted in the pursuit of liberty and in slavery because just a few weeks after that General Assembly and 1619 ship arrived caring stolen