November 4, 2025: Norrthern Ireland's Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and America250 Commissioner Joe Crowley pictured signing the Memorandum of Understanding at the Pennsylvania Log Farmhouse at the Ulster American Folk Park.Northern Ireland Department for Communities

Northern Ireland's Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and America250 Commissioner Joe Crowley signed a "historic" Memorandum of Understanding with the US Semiquincentennial Commission this week at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, Co Tyrone.

The MoU, which was announced in March, sets out the terms for co-operation in support of America's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next year. 

The MoU will also ensure that Northern Ireland is the "first nation to receive special status in recognition of its unique contribution to the foundation of the United States of America," Northern Ireland's Department for Communities said on Tuesday, November 4.

Minister Lyons said he was "honoured" to have signed the Memorandum of Understanding, which he says "grants Northern Ireland special status in the United States’ semiquincentennial celebrations next year."

Lyons said: "The agreement cements the unique relationship Northern Ireland has with the US and reflects a shared vision to celebrate our historical connections.

“This is an exciting moment to promote our historical and ongoing cultural, economic, and heritage connections and look to future collaboration with the United States.”

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed during Crowley's two-day visit to Northern Ireland. The former New York Congressman was accompanied by America250 Executive Vice President Jen Condon. 

During the visit, Minister Lyons showed the US delegation around various locations with links to the US, including Parliament Buildings, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), and the Ulster-Scots Agency.

The trip concluded with a visit to the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, where Crowley and Condon retraced the journey of Ulster people’s emigration to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries, including the hardships endured on the journey and the pioneering spirit of building new lives in a new land.

There, the Minister and Commissioner planted a commemorative tree to mark the anniversary.

Crowley also said it was an "honour" to sign the document on behalf of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission.

“Northern Ireland’s connection to the American story runs deep, and this agreement marks a new chapter in our enduring relationship," Crowley said.

Condon added: “This partnership reflects the deep and lasting bonds between Northern Ireland and the United States.

"As we prepare to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, we are proud to recognize Northern Ireland’s special role in our nation’s story and to collaborate on meaningful ways to bring that story to life for people on both sides of the Atlantic.”

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The Department of Communities noted that Lyons recently launched the USA-NI250 Fund, administered by the Ulster-Scots Agency on behalf of the Department for Communities.

The £250k fund will "provide financial support for a wide range of celebratory projects, including community events, cultural exhibitions, educational programmes and storytelling to reflect the shared history and links between Northern Ireland and the United States."

Lyons said: “Through the USA-NI250 Fund, organisations can apply for contributions to fund their celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and linkages to Signatories, Presidents, and those with ancestral roots to Northern Ireland and the wider province of Ulster.

“Those opportunities are further underpinned by the importance of the wider story of emigration from Ulster to North America over the past 250 years, and by a commitment to embedding legacy and how the spirit and resilience that contributed to building the USA can continue to be supported in the future, including marking other significant anniversaries.”