Educational and Cultural Affairs Annual Awards

Of course, if I were about to break into a waltz, I could not ask for a better partner than Pat Harrison. She is known across the Department for her fancy footwork, her uncanny sense of timing, and her grace under pressure. Indeed, the fact that so many of you assembled here are accepting awards for your work speaks well of you, of course, but also of your entire chorus line of leadership. So Pat, I want to acknowledge all of your personal accomplishments as Assistant Secretary and as Acting Undersecretary, but even more important – certainly to me and to the Secretary – I want to thank you for being a leader who encourages her people to excel.

And there is no question that this Bureau excels. I understand that more than 100 of you will receive some form of recognition today. When you consider that for every individual who gets an award, it probably took the support of at least three other people to get him or her there, I can only come to the conclusion that everyone here is implicated in this culture of excellence. So, my congratulations to you all.

Of course, your collective record of accomplishment resonates far beyond the walls of SA-44, and I don’t just mean we hear you over on the 7^th floor of the Truman Building, though I can assure you, we do. Your work echoes in classrooms across this country and around the world, in museums and performance halls, in research laboratories, gyms, and art galleries – everywhere we can find an expression of our common humanity. Your work also echoes in the memories of thousands of our fellow citizens, their families and friends – all those you have invited into a direct conversation with the world. And indeed, it goes beyond talk. You are helping to show people around the globe who Americans really are, how we conduct our business, how we raise our children, how we play a part in the life of our communities. At a time when so many people have misconceptions about this country, that’s an invaluable service.

I have had a chance to see firsthand the benefit of your exchanges of people, of information, of arts and artifacts, and of basketballs. Thanks to all of you, I’ve talked with Omanis who came here to study the rule of law and viewed the photographs of the World Trade Center we’ve exhibited around the world. I’ve mingled with former Fulbright fellows from Afghanistan and Iraq, who came here to celebrate the resumption of those programs, and I have met with Iraqis – some who were tortured by Saddam Hussein and came here to heal and others who are presenting the face of a new Iraq. Everyone from an imposing Shia tribal leader in traditional dress to a female pediatrician in a crisp business suit and all here to learn more about how to have a vibrant civil society.

I even had a hand in setting up one exchange: a program to provide basketball clinics around the world. And I must say, I think it is the best thing I’ve done since I’ve been in this job. Indeed, there are days when I would rather be on the road shooting hoops with our young envoys, Courtland Freeman and Omari Faulkner. Well, most days, I would rather be doing that. These two Hoyas don’t need my help, though. They appear to be attracting a cult following wherever they go, from Albania to Kuwait to Malaysia. I’ve spoken to them many times about their experience. Both are energized in a way they never expected and both are talking about continuing in a life of service. This is the kind of electricity your work can generate on both ends of the exchange.

Indeed, your excellence in cultural and educational exchanges has taken on even more importance in this post-911 world. Today, we face an enemy that hides in the dark corners of scores of countries and so it is a war that can be neither fought nor won alone. This is a time when we must pull together with all our partners and allies to defend our common interests and advance our shared cause.

Moreover, our enemy is not a country and it isn’t an army. Terrorism is an idea. And while this country has the finest military force the world has ever seen, it will take more than troops to kill an idea. Ultimately, it will take a better idea. Well, we have the best there is: the idea of America. Indeed, it is particularly important in a time of war that we remind ourselves and the world what it is we are truly fighting for and all that distinguishes us as a people.

So your work, as always, makes an important contribution to the life of our nation and to our war effort, as well. In fact, your ultimate reward for a job well done is that we are going to give you more to do. Don’t all look so scared. We’re also going to give you the resources with which to do it. Indeed, I have asked Assistant Secretary Harrison to propose a robust expansion of exchange activities in the Department’s 2006 budget request. We will also continue our efforts to bring you back home, closer to your colleagues at Main State, just as we will continue our broader efforts to integrate the work of public diplomacy more deeply into all of our day-to-day business at the Department.