Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered keynote remarks on the inclusion of women as an economic growth strategy at the first-ever Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women and the Economy Summit (WES) in San Francisco, California on September 16, 2011.
Secretary Clinton said, "Now there will be a temptation on the part of those observing or covering this summit, perhaps on the part of those of us attending it as well, to say that our purpose is chiefly to advance the rights of women, to achieve justice and equality on women's behalf. And that is, of course, a noble cause to be sure and one that is very close to my heart. But at the risk of being somewhat provocative at the outset, I believe our goal is even bolder, one that extends beyond women to all humankind. The big challenge we face in these early years of 21st century is how to grow our economies… more »
About the Author: Navdeep Aujla works in the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the Department of State.
Winter travelers, spring break planners, day trippers to Toronto, and even those planning on attending the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, crack open your passport book for the third annual "Passport Day in the USA" on Saturday, September 17. On Passport Day you can travel to the nearest passport agency or acceptance facility and apply right away.
Although U.S. passport books and passport cards for adults are valid for 10 years, check the expiration date. Some countries require your passport to be valid for up to six months beyond the date of your stay.
Without the proper validity, you may not be able to board the plane or could even risk being denied entry into the country. To avoid any last minute headaches, confirm that the kids are also ready to go. Passports for children under the age of sixteen expire after five years.
About the Author: David Killion serves as the U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO in Paris, France.
On my most recent trip to the States, I had the pleasure of speaking to students and faculty on two campuses at Montgomery Community College in celebration of their International Peace Week. Montgomery College, with campuses in Takoma Park, Rockville, and Germantown, Maryland, serves nearly 60,000 students from more than 170 countries. It is certainly one of the most diverse community colleges in the nation --practically a mini-United Nations. I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with students about UNESCO's role in advancing and promoting peace.
Through UNESCO's cultural development programs, which strengthen cultural understanding through preservation and development activities, UNESCO is able to help promote pride in cultural heritage and respect of other cultures. The United States is a strong supporter of UNESCO, including these efforts.
On September 15, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta joined their Australian counterparts, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Defense Minister Stephen Smith, to celebrate 60 years of the U.S.-Australia Alliance in San Francisco, California.
Secretary Clinton said, "We have come to San Francisco to celebrate 60 years of the U.S.-Australia alliance in the place where it was born. Here at the Presidio Golden Gate Club back in 1951, in the month of September, our predecessors signed the treaty that cemented the ties between our nations. Today, we reflect on that history, celebrate the vision of those who brought our alliance to life, and chart a common path forward together. And as we announced earlier this week, President Obama will be visiting Australia in November to commemorate this important milestone and to advance our alliance.more »
About the Author: John Beyrle serves as U.S. Ambassador to Russia.
One of the great things about the “reset” in U.S.-Russia relationship is how it opens the door to new and unexpected kinds of cooperation. A perfect example of this is an event coming up next week. On September 24, volunteers from several high tech companies, including Yandex and Google, together with the Skolkovo Foundation, are coming together under the framework of the Obama-Medvedev Commission to put on the first ever U.S.-Russian “codeathon”, a 36-hour computer programming marathon called Code4Country.
The idea is to harness the talents of programmers and the ideas of citizens in both countries to address an issue which is critical to us all -- improving government transparency and openness. Ultimately, Code4Country should produce technological tools that empower ordinary citizens in both the U.S. and Russia to improve their communities.… more »
Secretary Clinton went to San Francisco on September 14 to co-host the 26th Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN). On September 15, Secretary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta met with Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Defense Minister Stephen Smith to discuss challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, ways to improve and deepen Alliance cooperation, and issues affecting global security. Today, they issued a joint statement on cyberspace. The text of the statement follows:
"As part of the 26th Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations on September 15, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta,… more »
Ambassador Eric Goosby, current U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, and Ambassador Mark Dybul, former U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, co-authored this op-ed published by The Huffington Post on September 14, 2011. The full text of the op-ed follows and can be read online here.
Fighting AIDS: At the Tipping Point Thirty years since the first case of AIDS was diagnosed in the United States, the world finds itself at a tipping point in the fight against this deadly disease. For the first time, grounded in scientific evidence, our efforts can put us within reach of an AIDS-free generation.
Our nation has been the preeminent leader in the global fight against AIDS. We have turned basic research into practical… more »
On September 17, 2009, President Barack Obama said, "To put it simply, our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter, and swifter defenses of American forces and America's Allies. It is more comprehensive than the previous program; it deploys capabilities that are proven and cost-effective; and it sustains and builds upon our commitment to protect the U.S. homeland against long-range ballistic missile threats; and it ensures and enhances the protection of all our NATO Allies."
Today, the White House released a fact sheet on implementing missile defense in Europe. The fact sheet said:
"President Obama is committed to protecting the United States, U.S. deployed forces, our European Allies and partners against the growing threat of ballistic missiles. In September 2009, on the recommendation of the Secretary of Defense and Chairman… more »
About the Author: Robert Raines serves as Acting Spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The United States and Pakistan reviewed progress on ongoing energy programs and recommitted themselves to pursuing practical solutions to Pakistan's energy needs during the latest Pakistan-United States Energy Dialogue this week. Ambassador Carlos Pascual, U.S. Department of State Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs, joined Pakistani Minister of Water and Power Naveed Qamar to reaffirm the partnership. They met September 14-15 in Islamabad.
"As all Pakistanis know, reliable and affordable energy is critical to Pakistan's prosperity. Without it, businesses can't operate and families can't light and cool their homes. Pakistan's future depends on power," Ambassador Pascual said at the opening of the Dialogue. "There are no quick fixes to this crisis, but the United States and international partners are willing to help. We will continue to support Pakistan in… more »
On Thursday, September 15, 2011, Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs, held a discussion with Ellen Laipson, President and CEO of the Stimson Center, on "Multilateral Diplomacy and U.S. Global Leadership." The conversation was moderated by Cheryl Benton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, and streamed live here on DipNote. Video and text transcript of the discussion will be posted as soon as they are available. more »
DipNote is the official blog of the U.S. Department of State —a place to share stories, discuss experiences, and inspire new ideas on the important foreign policy issues of the day. more »
Across the eastern Horn of Africa, more than 11 million people -- a number greater than the populations of Houston and New York City combined -- are now in need of emergency assistance to survive. Learn more about the current crisis, including how you can help.
Breaking glass ceilings in Multilateral Diplomacy... This was a fine conversation as Assistant Secretary Brimmer managed to touch on all the objectives…
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I KNOW THE VALUE OF A HUMAN BEING IN THE CIVILIZED WORLD.I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN UK AND I HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO PRACTICE THIS VALUE.I KNOW THAT MY VOICE…
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Secretary Clinton (Sept. 16): "To make it real, to achieve the economic expansion we all seek, we need to unlock a vital source of growth that can power our economies in the decades to come." Fact Sheet more »
Sept. 15: The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board will convene Friday, September 16, 2011, for its third quarterly meeting. Meeting sessions from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. will be open to the public. more »
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![Ambassador David T. Killion, U.S. Permanent Representative to UNESCO, speaks with students about UNESCO's role in advancing and promoting peace, at the Montgomery Community College Takoma Park Campus in Maryland, in celebration of their International Peace Week on September 14, 2011. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110916231409im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0916_unesco_peace2_m.jpg)
![Students log on to their new laptop computers on the first day of school at a temporary high school in Joplin, Missouri, on August 17, 2011. [AP File Photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110916231409im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0915_computers_m.jpg)
![Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, second from left, appears with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton during a visit to San Francisco on September 14, 2011. From left to right are Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith, Rudd, Clinton, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz. [AP Photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110916231409im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0915_clinton_ausmin_m.jpg)
![PEPFAR-funded AIDS care unit, White River Junction, South Africa, Dec. 15, 2008. [AP File Photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110916231409im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2010_0219_pepfar_clinic_m.jpg)
![A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) is launched from the Aegis cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67), during a joint Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Navy ballistic missile flight test off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii, June 22, 2006. [U.S. Navy/ U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110916231409im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0915_navy_ship_1_m.jpg)
![A Pakistani mother and son head back to home after visiting weekly bazaar in Islamabad, Pakistan on May 22, 2011. [AP Photo]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110916231409im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2011_0915_pakistan_energy_m.jpg)
![Replay: Conversations with America: Multilateral Diplomacy and U.S. Global Leadership with Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary, International Organization Affairs; and Ellen Laipson, President and CEO, Stimson Center, on September 15, 2011. [State Department image/ Public Domain]](https://web.archive.org/web/20110916231409im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/CWA9_15Replay_507_m.jpg)
