Ambassador Perry's Speeches

American International School Freetown Holiday Program (11 Dec 08)

Madame Principal,
Distinguished educators,
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, good evening

I'm so happy to be here tonight with so many young people as well as your parents, your teachers, and all those who support your educational pursuits.  This week, as we've commemorated International Human Rights Day, I am pleased to be celebrating one of the most important human rights here -- the right to a good education.  As we all know, without a good education success becomes nearly unreachable.

In many parts of the world, governments and circumstances prevent children from going to school.  While I'm sure each of you has wished for a day off at some point, I know that you all appreciate how lucky you are to go to such an excellent school.  Students in places where schools are closed or do not exist may go years without gaining the knowledge they need to be productive adults.  We should all take the time to think of those students, and do everything we can to help them recapture their childhoods.

The United States is proud to support American Schools all over the world financially as well as materially.  Last year alone, our financial support to this school was $45,000 plus an additional $36,000 to make sure our students are safe.  We hope to increase that number to $75,000 this year to support teacher salaries, improve the quality of educational materials, upgrade equipment, launch new special education projects, and conduct and in-service training for teachers and staff.  The world changes quickly, and schools must constantly strive to stay one step ahead of those changes.  We are here to help you do that.

We know that the American International School in Freetown faces challenges, but we applaud all of you -- teachers, staff, and parents -- for your commitment to educating our young people.  In Sierra Leone, education is a commodity often out of reach for many students, and we are proud of the fact that the American school offers an education to match international standards.

Boys and girls, I'm not sure if you know this, but you have a very special opportunity being here in this school.  An international education -- with diverse classmates, a diverse curriculum, and diverse points of view -- will give you a perspective that many of your American or European-educated counterparts will lack.  In today's world, that global outlook will serve you well as you move on to high schools, universities, and professions that will demand the ability to think broadly and creatively.  I hope you all take advantage of this opportunity and make the most of what you learn here.

I wish you all a very happy holiday season and warm congratulations on the completion of the first half of the school year.  I hope the next half is as productive as the last, and I wish you all the best.

Thank you.