Video

BOSTON -- Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined Councillor Arder Carson, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Northern Ireland and representatives from the hockey community to announce "The Friendship Four," an international men's college hockey tournament in Belfast on Thanksgiving weekend on November 27 and 28 featuring hockey teams from UMass Lowell, Northeastern University, Brown University and Colgate University competing for the Belpot Trophy.
 
Last September, Mayor Walsh traveled to Ireland and signed his first sister city agreement with the City of Belfast.
 
"During my time in Ireland, I saw firsthand how sports, and hockey in particular, play an incredible role in bridging communities," said Mayor Walsh. "I am thrilled to announce the first tournament for the Belpot Trophy this fall. I would like to thank former mayor of Belfast Máirtín Ó Muilleoir for his original partnership in this ambitious exchange and his continued hospitality towards Boston and Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Arder Carson, and the Belfast City Council for their commitment to making this tournament become a reality."
 
"The Sister City agreement which we signed with Boston last May is designed to foster stronger economic development, trade and investment, tourism, youth, cultural, faith based exchange and educational linkages between our two cities," said Lord Mayor, Councillor Arder Carson. "Bringing this prestigious tournament to Belfast is one of the first substantive results of the agreement, and we are delighted that, even before the first puck has been hit, there already is a commitment to play it here for a further four years.  It is our hope that the success of this tournament will help stimulate further exchanges, especially in terms of trade missions and educational links. Bringing this tournament to Belfast will be a great boost to our economy. The global media coverage this will attract is likely to bring a very positive offspin for Belfast too."

"We're thrilled to be participating in this showcase event in Northern Ireland," said UMass Lowell Head Coach Norm Bazin. "Giving our student athletes and our fans this opportunity is an excellent way to keep providing everyone with life experiences through hockey. We look forward to taking part in this unique event."

The Friendship Four will be held at the Belfast Giants' Odyssey Arena.
 
The City of Boston is working with Secretary of State John Kerry's Office of Global Partnerships and the Belfast Giants to incorporate educational components to the tournament weekend, including having student-athletes visit classrooms in Belfast.
 
The Mayor made the announcement this morning at the Bobby Orr statue at the TD Garden.

UMass Lowell has strong ties to the city of Belfast through its Center for Irish Partnerships. Since 2009, the university has had a collaborative agreement with Queen's University Belfast that includes faculty exchanges, facilitation of business and government collaboration, and unique projects such as the Irish-American Heritage Archaeological Program. Faculty and leadership from the two universities travel between Lowell and Belfast often. Last year UMass Lowell and Queen's University co-sponsored the "Irish in Massachusetts" conference in Lowell. UMass Lowell also has a research partnership with Northern Ireland's University of Ulster to advance international collaboration in medical device development and has collaborated with St. Mary's College in West Belfast on programs involving educational research.