Ambassador
Ambassador's Speech
SPEECH BY AMBASSADOR WAYNE AT UNIENDO METAS (Model UN Program)
UBA Law School
November 10, 2006
Thank you very much for that kind introduction. I want to express my gratitude to Dean Alterini, Lucrecia Lacroze and the leadership of Conciencia, Jose Latugaye, President of SC Johnson, and Prof. Ignacio Hernaiz, National Secretary of Education from the Ministry of Education for their combined efforts in putting together this impressive and important event tonight and for asking me to come and speak to you all.
I’m really delighted to be here. As you may know, I’ve just arrived in Argentina as the U.S. Ambassador. I have a lot to learn about this great country, and I can’t think of any better way to get started than by being here tonight. I had the opportunity earlier to meet with some of you backstage, and I was very impressed by your commitment and enthusiasm for this Model UN project.
As a founding member and the host country, the United States is committed to supporting the UN as an instrument for peace, security, freedom, and human rights. Since its founding 61 years ago, the UN has served the needs of nations around the world. In just the past year, the Security Council acted to stem the violence in Sudan, to sanction North Korea for its nuclear test, and to end the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. Other UN agencies dealt with urgent transnational needs like HIV/AIDS, the threat of avian flu, earthquake and tsunami relief, and providing humanitarian aid to millions worldwide.
The United States looks to the UN to help in the fight against terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction, to promote democracy, and to keep the peace. We recognize the value of a strong UN that can take on tough challenges that no one nation can handle by itself.
The U.S. has worked closely with Argentina over the past two years in its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in such areas as peacekeeping, UN reform, and the Iran nuclear issue. Argentina's participation in the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti and the exemplary conduct of its armed forces there have been critical to the hemisphere’s efforts to restore democracy and a measure of stability in that country.
The UN, of course, is not without its own problems. The debate over how to undertake reform is now in progress, and the United States is committed to this effort. We believe that those who want an effective UN want one that operates at top efficiency to achieve results for those who need them most.
While the UN is one of our most important and valuable institutions, we recognize that it can’t solve every problem. All of us have a role to play in making our world a better place. And when I say “all of us,” I don’t just mean nations. I mean average citizens who, through active participation in the political and social life of their communities, can bring positive change and reshape the world. As my boss, Condoleezza Rice, said, “Public service is enormously important to every country because participation in democracy is the key to making democracy work.”
That’s why when I began my talk I called tonight’s event “important.” Through active participation in this Model UN program, you will learn about other countries, see issues from other people’s perspective, and get a better sense of how hard it is to reconcile everyone’s interests and achieve consensus. It’s not easy. You must make trade-offs, but it’s a critically important thing to learn in order to function in today’s interconnected world.
The U.S. Embassy here in Buenos Aires is committed to investing in Argentina’s youth to ensure that they have the tools necessary to succeed in our increasingly globalized world. Some of you here tonight, for example, did your research on the U.S. at the Embassy’s Information Resource Center with the help of Hugo Burke.
It’s now easier than ever to get information on the U.S. using our brand new Youth Page on the Embassy website. Designed especially for you, it offers Argentine students a wealth of information about scholarships and study in the United States, learning English, and youth culture in the U.S. There is even a section for Model UN participants and other students who are studying key global issues.
The Embassy has also sent students and young professionals to the U.S. to participate in the World Scholar-Athlete Games in Rhode Island, to Science Camp in West Virginia, and to entrepreneurship training in Florida. In addition, we work closely with the Fulbright Commission to send talented university students to the U.S. to get their master’s degrees and even PhDs. I do hope that you will remember the Fulbright program when you are ready to do your own post-graduate work.
As part of our ongoing commitment to Argentina’s youth, I am very pleased to announce tonight a new program for students between the ages of 15 and 18 called the Youth Ambassadors Program. We are looking for five Argentine students from public high schools, with excellent grades, who speak English, to travel to the United States for almost two weeks. Joined by participants from Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile, the Argentine Youth Ambassadors will spend time in Washington DC meeting with top government officials and then travel to other parts of the U.S. to live with a family, visit schools, and attend cultural and sporting events. If you are interested in applying for the program – and I hope that you are – please see the flyers on how to apply that are in your folders.
Well, I’ve talked a long time for an Ambassador who has only been here one week, and I’m sure you are anxious to start your session of the United Nations. So I’ll just thank you again for inviting me to be here with you this evening and wish you an exciting and productive conference.
