Two hundred new Americans will take the oath of citizenship while overlooking Biscayne Bay during outdoor citizenship ceremonies in Biscayne National Park on Thursday January 18 and Friday January 19.
Both ceremonies begin at 10 AM and are open to the public, free of charge.
The outdoor ceremonies will introduce Miami’s newest citizens to America’s best idea – its national parks – at the moment they become citizens.
“What better way to welcome new citizens to the USA and make them feel like true Americans than to administer the oath of citizenship in one of our national parks – a symbol of what’s best about this country and its democratic ideals,” said Don Finefrock, executive director of the South Florida National Parks Trust (SFNPT).
The citizenship ceremonies are sponsored by the SFNPT with the support of The Miami Foundation and its Public Space Challenge. The SFNPT won a Public Space Challenge grant in 2017 to support six outdoor citizenship ceremonies in two national parks this year.
Additional citizenship ceremonies will be held in Everglades National Park in February and in Biscayne National Park in March. The January events in Biscayne will include live music and inspirational speakers.
“National parks speak to who we are as a people and a nation,” said Biscayne National Park Superintendent Margaret L. Goodro. “Biscayne National Park is an ideal setting for such an important event.”
The National Park Service and U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are partners in hosting naturalization ceremonies in national parks across the country. In recent years Biscayne National Park has welcomed over 1,000 new citizens into their new roles as owners of the most treasured places in America, our national parks.
