Ambassador
Ambassador Speech
REMARKS BY AMBASSADOR WAYNE AT THE RECEPTION FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY FOR MICHELLE KWAN
March 17, 2008
Thanks everyone for being here this on this very special evening.
As US Ambassador, and as a sports fan who will never forget the vision of a very young Michelle Kwan at her first Olympic competition performing with such extraordinary skill and grace, it is a great pleasure for me to welcome you here and to be able to introduce the most decorated figure skater in US history.
Michelle, it is a pleasure for me to welcome you to Argentina, and to our residence this evening. I want to thank you for being here and for all you are doing to help deepen people-to-people ties between the US and Argentina.
US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice appointed Michelle as the first American Public Diplomacy Envoy this past November. In this capacity Michelle has already traveled to Russia and China to meet with young people and speak to them about leadership and engaging in social and educational activities that can transform their lives and the lives of others.
We are very happy that Michelle has agreed to do the same here in Argentina. Starting today, and over this week, Michelle will meet and interact with youngsters from Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, and Paraná.
Michelle’s personal history is the source of great inspiration to young people all over the world. She has dominated the sport like no other skater in US history--- winning an unprecedented 43 championships, including five World Championships, eight consecutive and nine overall U.S. National Championships and two Olympic medals. In the nearly 100-year history of figure skating, no American man or woman has won more world titles, national titles or Olympic medals.
We wanted to give you all a little surprise this evening and give you the opportunity to see – once again – the special skating artistry and grace that Michelle Kwan embodied without equal. So we have a short little video to watch.
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After seeing that video, I think it is no surprise that Michelle’s record of 57 perfect 6.0 marks, the most of any skater in history, is to this day, called “the gold standard for future generations of figure skaters.”
Needing no further introduction, I would like to present to you, Michelle Kwan, US Public Diplomacy Ambassador.