In a time when headlines are dominated by division, a quiet corner of the world is offering a powerful message of hope, friendship, and unity. Campobello Island – the only place where Canada and the United States jointly manage an international park – has officially opened its most ambitious project to date: a new trail built not just for walking, but for connecting.
The Witapehkewakoni-Awt, or Friendship Trail, officially opened this summer on Campobello Island with a public celebration at Adams Lodge, where Canadians, Americans, and members of the Peskotomuhkati Nation gathered not just to witness a ribbon-cutting, but to participate in a symbolic ribbon-tying ceremony.
The name Witapehkewakoni-Awt, gifted by the Peskotomuhkati, means “Friendship Trail” and reflects the deeper intent of the project: to honour a longstanding spirit of cross-border cooperation and cultural connection in a place where nations meet, not in conflict, but in shared stewardship.
Rather than severing a ribbon, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick the Honourable Louise Imbeault, Peskotomuhkati Chief Hugh Akagi, and Anne Roosevelt – granddaughter of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Chair of the Park’s Commission – tied ribbons representing the three nations together. Each tree used in the gesture carried meaning: the maple for Canada, the oak for the United States, and the elderberry for the Peskotomuhkati.
“This act of tying the trees together,” said Jon Southern, Executive Director of Roosevelt Campobello International Park. “Symbolized the unity that this park stands for — the mutual respect among neighbours, cultures, and nations.”
Built with an elevated floating design, the trail winds gently through protected bogs and wetlands, allowing visitors to experience one of the most unique ecosystems in the region without harming its delicate balance. With scenic lookouts, interpretive panels, and guided tours, the Witapehkewakoni-Awt weaves together environmental stewardship with a message of connection and care.
For Anne Roosevelt, the trail also honours her grandparents’ legacy.
“My grandfather would be delighted to see this celebration,” she said at the opening. “He spent his life working toward collaboration, respect for humanity and the planet, and peace. This is what he stood for — and I think he would be thrilled to see it endure here.”
The Roosevelt family’s connection to Campobello Island runs deep. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt summered here long before his presidency, drawn by the rugged beauty and warm community. They were never distant figures on the island; they were neighbours and friends. In many ways, the values they championed — equality, cooperation, and service — are embedded in the trail’s creation and meaning.
“Visitors here quickly realise, just as the Roosevelts did, that we are guests of this land and this environment,” said Roosevelt. “If nature can be so gracious to us, we can be gracious to one another.”
Despite ongoing global tensions, the park continues to attract a steady stream of international visitors.
“People are still coming from both sides of the border,” said Southern. “The world may be uncertain, but here, people are reminded that they have more in common than they often think. They come because they believe in what this place represents.”
The trail opening drew Canadians and Americans alike, many of whom shared stories of travel between the two countries and family ties that span the border.
“We hear a lot about distress in the world,” said Roosevelt, “but underneath it, people are people. And we still feel that we are neighbours–and friends.”
Southern sees the project as more than just an addition to the park – it’s a legacy that speaks directly to the challenges of the moment.
“We honour FDR here, a man who united people through the Great Depression and World War II,” he said. “We have a duty to carry that spirit forward. This trail is our way of saying: we can still walk forward together.”
The Witapehkewakoni-Awt/Friendship Trail is now open to the public, with guided tours and interpretive features available throughout the summer. Visitors are invited to explore, reflect, and experience what shared history and collective care can look like – and perhaps, carry that lesson with them beyond the wetlands and boardwalks of Campobello.
Because sometimes it takes a village. And, sometimes, it takes an island like Campobello – a place where nations meet not to divide, but to work together. Where past and present walk side by side. And where three trees, tied together by three nations, remind the world that reconciliation, respect, and friendship are not just ideals — they are directions. And this island, quietly, unmistakably, is pointing the way.
