U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton holds a Townterview at the Newseum in Washington, DC on January 29, 2013 at 9:30 AM. A “Townterview” is a mix of a town hall and a television interview. The concept was first introduced by the Secretary when she entered office as a way to broaden People to People engagement. This is her 59th town hall and an opportunity to engage with young people around the world in advance of her last day as Secretary of State on Friday, February 1st. Follow Secrertary Clinton’s Global Town Hall | live streaming on state.gov | live tweeting @StateDeptLive
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers remarks entitled “Frontlines and Frontiers: Making Human Rights a Human Reality” in Dublin, Ireland on December 6, 2012. A text transcript can be found at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2012/12/201618.htm.
Raising the Status of Girls
Secretary Clinton (Oct. 10): ” I think we should be dedicating our efforts to brave young women, some of whose names we will know and some we will never know, who struggle against tradition and culture and even outright hostility…” Full Text»
Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook to Present Annual International Religious Freedom Report
Following the transmittal to Congress by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, Suzan Johnson Cook, will present the 2011 International Religious Freedom Report on July 30th at 12:00 p.m. in the Press Briefing Room at the U.S. Department of State. The International Religious Freedom Report covers the status of religious freedom in countries around the world.
Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook will introduce the report and take questions.
Following the release of the report, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver remarks on the state of religious freedom around the world on 30 July at 2:00 p.m. at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Remarks will be open to the press.
For updates, follow Ambassador at Large Suzan Johnson Cook on Facebook and Twitter @State_DRL, or join the conversation on Twitter at #IRF11.
Travel Diary: Secretary Clinton Travels to Finland, Latvia, and Russia
Secretary Clinton is on travel to Finland, Latvia, and Russia from June 27-June 30. In Helsinki, Finland, Secretary Clinton will hold bilateral meetings with senior Finnish officials to discuss a number of shared foreign policy priorities, including the European economy, Syria, Iran and climate change. She will highlight Finland’s commitment and leadership in Afghanistan, specifically on development and women’s issues. She will also meet with leaders in innovation, entrepreneurship and civil society.
On June 28, the Secretary will travel to Riga, Latvia, where she will meet with senior Latvian officials to discuss a range of issues including our joint commitment to NATO missions and priorities and Latvia’s recovery from economic crisis. She will also participate in a street renaming ceremony in honor of former Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles, whose Welles Declaration formalized the U.S. refusal to recognize the forced incorporation of the Baltic Republics into the Soviet Union.
The Secretary will travel to St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 28 where she will lead the U.S. Delegation to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s Women and the Economy Forum (WEF). During this event, participants will focus on leadership and skills and capacity building, two main areas of the San Francisco Declaration on decreasing barriers to women’s economic participation, as they relate to innovation, STEM, entrepreneurship, and healthy lifestyles. The Secretary will also meet with Foreign Minister Lavrov as well as civil society leaders.
"In recent years, the international community has made important strides in the fight against violent extremism in all its forms. We’ve worked together to disrupt terrorist financing; pass new and more effective counterterrorism laws; tighten border, aviation and maritime security; and improve international coordination. Over the past decade, more than 120,000 suspected terrorists have been arrested around the world, and more than 35,000 have been convicted. Usama bin Ladin is dead, al-Qaida’s core leadership ranks have been devastated, and many of its affiliates have lost key operatives. Our citizens are safer because of the work we have done together."
"When the President says all options are on the table, he means it. When he says that our policy is prevention, not containment, he means it. But there are a number of different paths that can get us to the outcome we’re seeking, which is a peaceful resolution of this very difficult challenge. And we appreciate the fact that Iran will return to negotiations with what’s called the P5+1, the five permanent members of the Security Council, plus the European Union and Germany. And we will enter into those negotiations with the hope that there can be a positive resolution, but without any illusions and without any patience for talk without progress."
Interview With Wendell Goler of FOX News
Interview
Secretary of State
UN Human Rights Council Vote on Sri Lanka Reconciliation
Press Statement
Secretary Clinton: Today’s action by the UN Human Rights Council encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to continue on the path toward reconciliation following 27 years of civil war. The United States, together with the international community, sent a strong signal that Sri Lanka will only achieve lasting peace through real reconciliation and accountability, and the international community stands ready to help. The next steps are clear. We look to the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the constructive recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and take the necessary measures to address accountability.
We are committed to working with the Sri Lankan Government to help realize this goal, and I look forward to discussing future actions with Foreign Minister Peiris soon. We will continue the productive working relationship we have with the Sri Lankan Government based on shared values, respect and constructive dialogue. Most important, we seek to strengthen our partnership with all the people of Sri Lanka.
The UN and the Commitment to Democracy in the Middle East
Secretary Clinton (Mar. 12): ”We, as a community of nations, must help the people of the Middle East and North Africa make the most of the rights and freedoms for which they have risked so much.” Full Text»
2012 International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony
Mar. 8: Secretary Clinton will host the 2012 International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony with special guest First Lady Michelle Obama from the Dean Acheson Auditorium.
Watch it at www.state.gov live at 11 a.m. today.
The names of this year’s honorees follow and full biographies and photos are available HERE:
- The Honorable Maryam Durani, Kandahar Provincial Council Member (Afghanistan);
- Major Pricilla de Oliveira Azevedo, police officer, Rio de Janeiro Military Police (Brazil);
- Zin Mar Aung, political activist and NGO co-founder (Burma);
- Jineth Bedoya Lima, investigative journalist (Colombia);
- Hana Elhebshi, architect and political activist (Libya);
- Aneesa Ahmed, gender-based violence (GBV) activist and former Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs (Maldives);
- Shad Begum, human rights activist and founder/executive director of Anjuman Behbood-e-Khawateen Talah (the Union of Women’s Welfare) (Pakistan);
- Samar Badawi, political activist (Saudi Arabia);
- Hawa Abdallah Mohammed Salih, human rights activist (Sudan);
- The Honorable Safak Pavey, Member of Parliament (Turkey)
Secretary Clinton Delivers Remarks at UN Security Council Session on Syria
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers remarks at a United Nations Security Council Session on the situation in Syria at the United Nations in New York City, New York on January 31, 2012.
