SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, let me welcome all of you again here to the State Department for this Second International Council on Women’s Business Leadership Meeting. This is a great way to end the year, since we started the year together back in January. And I know from having run into a number of you along the way you’ve been hard at work ever since coming up with new ideas and concrete initiatives that will help more women take a leading role in business, move up the echelons of government, broaden the reach of civil society groups. And I am very grateful to all of you around this table and everyone sitting behind you who has been part of this effort.
Now, the ultimate goal of the council is to develop a platform for putting forth policy recommendations, programs, and activities that empower women and promote gender equality, from access to markets and capital to capacity building and skills training. We’re looking at leadership and leadership development and working together to make sure that any woman who wishes to do so will have the opportunity to contribute to the economy and society where she lives.
I want to have a chance to hear about your experiences and discuss ways that we can put into action your recommendations. Now, we’ve had excellent leadership from our vice chairs, and I want to turn first to Cherie Blair to provide remarks and then to our other vice chair, Indra Nooyi, who joins us by the miracle of technology to do the same.
