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Remarks by Assistant Secretary Dina Habib Powell at the Sister Cities Conference in Wash, D.C.

Sister Cities International - 50th Anniversary Conference
Washington, D.C.
July 14, 2006

The following text is as prepared for delivery.

Thank you for that kind introduction.

I would like to acknowledge the great work of Sherman Banks, the President of the Board of Directors for Sister Cities and Tim Honey, the Executive Director. I'd also like to welcome May Ferguson, who I understand will be the new President starting tomorrow. Welcome to Ambassador Barbara Masekela from South Africa.

I am honored to be here today to celebrate this special occasion-the 50th anniversary of Sister Cities International. This event recognizes generations of good work, 50 years of life-changing, world-changing partnerships.

Today, as we celebrate this milestone, we look back at these 50 years with even greater appreciation for this initiative that President Dwight D. Eisenhower launched 50 years ago. As you may know, the sister cities movement received its first impetus on the first day of President Eisenhower's People-to-People conference. What some of you may not know, though, is that the first day of that conference was September 11, 1956.

President Eisenhower said at that time: "I am emboldened to talk to you because the purpose of this meeting is the most worthwhile purpose there is in the world today: to help build the road to peace."

As we approach the 50th anniversary of that historic conference, we also now approach the 5th anniversary of September 11, 2001, and we are even more aware today, 5 years after that day of tragedy, of the value of building bridges between people and countries in different regions of the world.

This is the heart of the Sister Cities - through your work, you highlight the important values that we share - the importance of family, faith, the need for opportunity, justice, and respect for each other.

In truth, most human beings want the same things. We want to live a life of good purpose, to be respected for who we are and what we think and do… to have a good job, provide for our families, to get an education… most people want freedom to worship as conscience dictates, we all want a better life for our children. Through Sister Cities programs, we realize that the person in Chicago and the person in Casablanca, Morocco want the same things out of life - we realize that the commonalities outnumber the differences.

For 50 years Sister Cities has created and strengthened sister city partnerships in an effort to increase global cooperation, promote cultural understanding, and stimulate economic development. Currently, Sister Cities International represents over 2,500 communities in 134 countries around the world.

Long before the words "globalization" or "interdependence" were in vogue, Sister Cities was working to link American communities with communities in regions of the world often overlooked or under appreciated, or challenging for some reason or another.

Long before "public diplomacy" became an area of renewed focus for the U.S., Sister Cities understood that exchanges were the best mechanism for building lasting relationships among people and countries around the world.

And…long before most people realized that, indeed, the "world is getting smaller," Sister Cities recognized that communities and individuals would face opportunities and challenges that would increasingly require a global perspective.

On behalf of President Bush, Secretary Rice, and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, I would like to thank each and every one of you involved in this organization for your enduring work.

I have been asked many times why I chose to take a leadership role in the Public Diplomacy effort. I always give two reasons:

First, it's not easy to say no to President Bush, Secretary Rice and Karen Hughes.

Second, it has much to do with my own personal history. I was born in Egypt and immigrated to the US at the age of 5. As can only happen in America, I was able, after extraordinary work and sacrifice by my parents, to receive a good education, move to Washington to pursue my dreams, eventually serve on the senior staff of the White House, and to have been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as an Assistant Secretary of State.

I will never forget the day I first introduced my parents to the President nearly six years ago. As you can imagine they were beside themselves with excitement.

The President approached - he welcomed them warmly to the White House and told them he was glad that their daughter was a part of his team.

I turned to see what I expected would be giant smiles on both their faces -- instead I saw tears. When I asked my father -- a tough Middle Eastern man not known for showing much emotion -- about his reaction, he explained that he couldn't believe that the young daughter he brought to the U.S. from Egypt so many years ago -- not speaking a word of English -- could one day serve the President of his adopted country.

While that is a touching story about my family -- it is also a story of hope and opportunity that is repeated over and over again across our nation -- a place where anyone from anywhere can succeed.

This story of what America stands for is one I felt a duty to tell on behalf of a country that has given so much to me and my family. And, as citizen diplomats, I know you share that desire to tell the great story of America.

I'm proud to say that the entire PD team is working hard to tell that story.

To achieve this goal, we began a year ago to reach out to dozens of experts around the country from varying backgrounds and political persuasions. After completing our research, we outlined and presented our plan to the President and the National Security team last August.

At the center of our plan is our belief that citizen diplomacy is the single most effective public diplomacy tool. Our most valuable assets, and our most powerful assets, are our citizens.

We believe in the power of exchanges because they have a proven track record. As you have perhaps heard before nearly 200 current or former heads of state have participated in exchange programs. When I was preparing for my confirmation hearing, a very famous former head of USIA under President Johnson - Leonard Marks - told me a story that really illustrates this power well.

Early on in his tenure, Leonard invited our Ambassador in Egypt to send six Egyptians to the United States on an exchange program. The Ambassador told Leonard that while he would love to do it, the time was not right, that President Nasser would not allow such a visit.

Leonard - a tenacious man and close friend of President Johnson said, well - President Johnson will allow it and I want you to make it happen. Sure enough, the Ambassador found a way and the group came to the US - they toured the country with an interpreter, meeting citizens all around America. They met teachers, business men and women, and families all across our great Nation.

Before going home, they stopped in Washington. Leonard greeted them and told them that a special person wanted to meet them at the White House. When they arrived they were ushered into the Oval Office where President Johnson spent an hour with them. At the end of the visit, one of the men approached Leonard and thanked him for this remarkable opportunity.

He said: "Mr. Marks, I want to be honest with you. I did not wish to come to your country, in fact, as a dark-skinned Arab man; I was scared that the stories of discrimination and anti-Arab sentiments were true. After spending time in your country with all walks of Americans, I now realize that was propaganda. In fact, this is a freedom loving nation whose citizens respect diversity and value human dignity. When I return to Cairo, I will talk about all I have learned on this visit as much as I can.

Leonard shook the gentleman's hand and warmly said, "Mr. Sadat - I am honored you took the time to come to my country. Anwar Sadat did return to Cairo with a greater understanding and trust of the American people and the rest as they say is history. Because of this experience he used his position - the equivalent of our Senate Majority Leader to influence many Egyptians views about the US and to chart a course that eventually led to peace.

This story is important in three ways: First, it shows the power of citizen diplomacy - Anwar Sadat said it was meeting Americans from all walks of life - citizens that showed him the true character of America.

Secondly, it highlights the lasting impact of citizen diplomacy. Anwar Sadat came to this country as an Egyptian citizen, but a decade later, that same man was in a position of influence, and his experience had opened his eyes and enabled him to truly appreciate the principles of our country - and lead him to take the courageous path to peace.

Finally, this story makes me stop and think who are the next Anwar Sadats being reached by the work of Sister Cities. And for this reason, I'm proud to count you as a partner in our Public Diplomacy efforts. I am proud that we have collaborated on so many initiatives including:

The International Partners for Peace Initiative, focused on pairing five communities in the U.S. with five cities in Iraq: Denver - Baghdad, Tucson - Sulaymaniyah, Dallas - Kirkuk, Philadelphia - Mosul, and Tempe - Hilla.

Seven U.S. communities with sister city partners in sub-Saharan Africa are working together to design practical, low cost local programs for peer counseling, and widespread HIV testing. US community teams have visited Africa to share expertise, develop strategies, and prepare action plans for prevention and education. African participants traveled to the US for workshops and consultation on implementation and sustainability.

And, Sister Cities was a partner with our Youth Division on a leadership training workshop in Boulder, Colorado for 70 students in our Youth Exchange and Study Students - a high school exchange program that just this year brought nearly 700 high school students from the Arab and Muslim world to live with American families and attend American high schools. I am delighted to know that the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program will receive the "Global Youth Leadership Award" from Sister Cities International.

Just last month, I was with Senators Lugar and Kennedy for a reception for our YES students, Batoul Kawtharany, of Lebanon, presented a moving speech. In her remarks, Batoul shared her dream of becoming the first woman to be the Prime Minister of Lebanon. She continued that it would be difficult as she realizes that she comes from the "wrong religion." In his closing remarks, Senator Kennedy turned to Batoul and encouraged Batoul in her dream. He told the crowd how at the time his brother had first considered running for the presidency, many thought it impossible, as he too was of the "wrong religion" comparing sentiments of the day in America toward Catholicism.

Batoul's dream highlights the lasting impact of citizen diplomacy. At the end of the day, nothing will change the world quite like the experience of human interaction and person-to-person dialogue that leads to tolerance and understanding. And, thankfully, Sister Cities International figured this out decades ago and has, truly, made an impact on our world.

Congratulations on 50 years of understanding, thank you for your compassion, for your commitment, and your dedication to making this world even smaller, one city, one community at a time. Thank you for all you do and all you inspire others to do. I look forward seeing what great work the next 50 years will hold. Thank you.

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