US Ambassador Marc Stanley welcomed more than 1,500 guests Thursday night to an event at the Palacio Bosch building in Buenos Aires city to celebrate the 247th anniversary of the Declaration of United States Independence, which took place July 4, 1776 .

Stanley spoke around 8 pm standing next to his wife Wendy, who accompanied him on stage while the ambassador read his speech in Spanish. 

“As President Biden said, the United States is committed to a long-term relationship. We believe in the power and potential of our bond with Argentina. And we seek to make it grow every day. This is clear in all high-level visits and in the daily work of the Embassy,” said Stanley. 

The ceremony also served as an opportunity to celebrate two centuries of diplomatic relations between the United States and Argentina, a milestone that will include a variety of activities that will go on throughout 2023.

Numerous leaders from the public and private sectors attended the celebration, with representatives from the fields of science, art, and entertainment. 

After the formal ceremony was over, there was a live music show by popular US born Argentine musician Kevin Johansen, joined on stage by his band and graphic artist Liniers (Ricardo Siri) who performed live illustrations.

Stanley highlighted the many areas of cooperation between the United States and Argentina, from educational exchanges and space exploration to the protection of human rights and the strengthening of democratic institutions, all the way to innovations in health care, agriculture, energy, and technology. 

“Argentina and the United States have done great things together and we can do even more,” said Stanley.