Page 26 - The South China Business Journal
P. 26
C. TODAY
On the Passing of
Secretary Madeleine
By Secretary Antony J. Blinken, U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE
Like many of you, I was deeply saddened by the coalition of countries that defends democratic
passing of former Secretary of State Madeleine values around the world. And thanks in no small
Albright. She lived an extraordinary life – fleeing part to her, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech
the Nazis in Czechoslovakia as a child, becoming Republic joined NATO, and the United States
the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and defended ethnic Albanians in Kosovo against
blazing a trail as the first woman to serve as Serbian aggression. Today, there’s a square and
Secretary of State. Secretary Albright believed a street in Kosovo named for Madeleine, and a
passionately that every person everywhere statue of her stands in the capital.
deserved to live in freedom; that it was worth
defending and fighting for. And she poured a When she was nominated to be Secretary of
great deal of energy into mentoring the next State, some openly questioned whether a woman
generation of diplomats. There are people across could go toe-to-toe with world leaders. Madeleine
the Department of State, students she mentored quickly quashed those misguided doubts. There
at universities, and colleagues and friends across was simply no doubt that, in any room, she was
the globe, who benefited from working with her as tough as anyone and often tougher. That said,
and from her encouragement, and I know many it wasn’t always easy. She described walking into
of you are reflecting on her legacy today. her first meeting of the UN Security Council as
the U.S. ambassador: “15 seats and 14 men, all
I received the news while I was traveling with looking at me.” But when she saw the plaque
the President to NATO – an institution Secretary at her seat that read THE UNITED STATES OF
Albright revered and made stronger. AMERICA, her nerves vanished: “I thought, if I do
not speak today, the voice of the United States
It was important to me to share some thoughts will not be heard. When I finally did speak, it was
on Secretary Albright’s remarkable contributions the first time that I represented the country of my
and what she meant to all of us, here at the State naturalization, the place where I belonged.”
Department and worldwide.
Madeleine mentored a generation of diplomats
Madeleine Albright was a brilliant diplomat, and national security experts. I’m one of
a visionary leader, a courageous trailblazer, many who benefited from her wisdom and
a dedicated mentor, and a great and good encouragement. And in her post-State career, she
person who loved the United States deeply dedicated herself to teaching, continuing to invest
and devoted her life to serving it. She was in our future diplomats and leaders.
also a wonderful friend to many, including
me. I’ll miss her very much. After leaving the State Department, when asked
if she was relieved not to be dealing with crises
Having arrived here as a refugee at age 11, around the world, she’d say simply, “I miss it
she never forgot the generosity that America every day.” She loved this country. She loved the
extended to her family when they needed it most. Department of State. And we loved her back.
Having seen America at its best, she pushed
relentlessly for us to live up to our role as a To our very first Madam Secretary – thank you.
moral beacon and defender of freedom. And
having experienced the horrors of war firsthand Sincerely,
– fleeing Czechoslovakia after the Nazis invaded,
then hiding in shelters as German bombs fell Secretary Antony J. Blinken
on London – she believed that the United States
must respond forcefully to dictators and tyrants.
She created the Community of Democracies, a
23 AMCHAM SOUTH CHINA
On the Passing of
Secretary Madeleine
By Secretary Antony J. Blinken, U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE
Like many of you, I was deeply saddened by the coalition of countries that defends democratic
passing of former Secretary of State Madeleine values around the world. And thanks in no small
Albright. She lived an extraordinary life – fleeing part to her, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech
the Nazis in Czechoslovakia as a child, becoming Republic joined NATO, and the United States
the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and defended ethnic Albanians in Kosovo against
blazing a trail as the first woman to serve as Serbian aggression. Today, there’s a square and
Secretary of State. Secretary Albright believed a street in Kosovo named for Madeleine, and a
passionately that every person everywhere statue of her stands in the capital.
deserved to live in freedom; that it was worth
defending and fighting for. And she poured a When she was nominated to be Secretary of
great deal of energy into mentoring the next State, some openly questioned whether a woman
generation of diplomats. There are people across could go toe-to-toe with world leaders. Madeleine
the Department of State, students she mentored quickly quashed those misguided doubts. There
at universities, and colleagues and friends across was simply no doubt that, in any room, she was
the globe, who benefited from working with her as tough as anyone and often tougher. That said,
and from her encouragement, and I know many it wasn’t always easy. She described walking into
of you are reflecting on her legacy today. her first meeting of the UN Security Council as
the U.S. ambassador: “15 seats and 14 men, all
I received the news while I was traveling with looking at me.” But when she saw the plaque
the President to NATO – an institution Secretary at her seat that read THE UNITED STATES OF
Albright revered and made stronger. AMERICA, her nerves vanished: “I thought, if I do
not speak today, the voice of the United States
It was important to me to share some thoughts will not be heard. When I finally did speak, it was
on Secretary Albright’s remarkable contributions the first time that I represented the country of my
and what she meant to all of us, here at the State naturalization, the place where I belonged.”
Department and worldwide.
Madeleine mentored a generation of diplomats
Madeleine Albright was a brilliant diplomat, and national security experts. I’m one of
a visionary leader, a courageous trailblazer, many who benefited from her wisdom and
a dedicated mentor, and a great and good encouragement. And in her post-State career, she
person who loved the United States deeply dedicated herself to teaching, continuing to invest
and devoted her life to serving it. She was in our future diplomats and leaders.
also a wonderful friend to many, including
me. I’ll miss her very much. After leaving the State Department, when asked
if she was relieved not to be dealing with crises
Having arrived here as a refugee at age 11, around the world, she’d say simply, “I miss it
she never forgot the generosity that America every day.” She loved this country. She loved the
extended to her family when they needed it most. Department of State. And we loved her back.
Having seen America at its best, she pushed
relentlessly for us to live up to our role as a To our very first Madam Secretary – thank you.
moral beacon and defender of freedom. And
having experienced the horrors of war firsthand Sincerely,
– fleeing Czechoslovakia after the Nazis invaded,
then hiding in shelters as German bombs fell Secretary Antony J. Blinken
on London – she believed that the United States
must respond forcefully to dictators and tyrants.
She created the Community of Democracies, a
23 AMCHAM SOUTH CHINA
