Remarks at Iranian Art Exhibit “Wishes and Dreams”

ASSISTANT SECRETARY POWELL: Good afternoon. Welcome to the opening of the Wishes and Dreams Exhibit: Iran's New Generation. On behalf of Secretary Rice and Under Secretary Karen Hughes, we are so delighted to be here today to open this beautiful art exhibit.

I just want to briefly thank Ambassador Stuart Holliday and Nancy Matthews of the Meridian International Center, who have been remarkable partners in bringing this beautiful artwork from Iran here to the United States. I also want to thank the artists for sharing their time and their beautiful work with the people of the United States. I just want to quote one of the artists as I introduce the Secretary:

Behnam Kamrani just yesterday said, "That through cultural and artistic exchanges we can bring people together." And no one understands this better than Secretary Rice, who as a musician and an art lover herself, believes that the power of culture can broaden minds and touch the human heart.

Ladies and gentlemen, Secretary Rice. (Applause.)

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you very much. Thank you. I'd like to add my thanks to Meridian, to Stuart Holliday, to Nancy Matthews and Ambassador Keith, thank you for your wonderful work.

This is really a great day. I have so enjoyed seeing the work of these great artists, all artists under the age of 40. They are representing so well the great culture that Iran has, the great culture that goes back for so many centuries but that is bringing brought here today so that the American people can see another side of Iran and to see what the artists of Iran are doing.

It's said that music is the universal language and, of course, as a musician I believe that. But I think today we are making art a language of peoples who need to know each other and to talk to each other, and I want to thank you for making that possible. And I understand, too, that the artwork will now be available to the American people as it will go on tour and they'll get a chance to see the work of Iran, but the work of these very great individual artists. So thank you very much and thank you for being here.

(Applause.)

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