*EPF415 03/16/00
Transcript: Albright at Dinner for International Cultural Leaders
(Cultural differences have a major impact on foreign policy) (830)
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says that "one of the great lessons of the last decade is that despite globalization and the Internet, and CNN, the Euro and all the forces that seem to be pulling us together, the competing of forces of national and cultural identity simply will not be denied.
"Culture and cultural differences have a major impact on many of the foreign policy challenges we confront whether it's trade and biotechnology to ethnic strife and treatment of women," Albright said at a Working Dinner for International Cultural Leaders late March 15.
"And our foreign policy can't be effective if it's oblivious to the fact that there are separate ways of looking at things and on the need to respect other cultures but also to be perceived as respecting other cultures," said the Secretary of State.
Following is the State Department transcript:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
March 16, 2000
REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT
AT WORKING DINNER FOR INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL LEADERS
THOMAS JEFFERSON ROOM
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
MARCH 15, 2000
Your Highness the Aga Khan, Ambassador Muasher, Congressman Leach, distinguished colleagues and friends, welcome to the State Department.
There's no better place, certainly in this building, to discuss culture than a room named for Thomas Jefferson, who was not only a great architect, writer and diplomat, but also spent so much time in France.
I've been looking forward to this dinner for a long while. And I am very grateful to you all for being here, especially those who have come from overseas. There is a wealth of talent around the table tonight, and I look forward to exploiting it ruthlessly tonight having spent a day being exploited on the Hill.
Culture and American foreign policy are not often used in the same sentence or even paragraph, and what I really want to do is to try to change that. One of the great lessons of the last decade is that despite globalization and the Internet, and CNN, the Euro and all the forces that seem to be pulling us together, the competing of forces of national and cultural identity simply will not be denied.
And our foreign policy can't be effective if it's oblivious to the fact that there are separate ways of looking at things and on the need to respect other cultures but also to be perceived as respecting other cultures. No country, I think, is more admired than America. And I say that with some sense of chauvinism, but there is a strong human tendency to couple admiration with some jealousy and some resentment and, in our case, a widespread feeling that America is not only strong and successful but also too insensitive in our attitudes about the heritage of others.
America's strength, though, is derived from its diversity. And I think there is no question in my mind that we do respect other cultures, but we've not always been very good about expressing that respect.
And this matters for some very practical reasons. Culture and cultural differences have a major impact on many of the foreign policy challenges we confront whether it's trade and biotechnology to ethnic strife and treatment of women. And I think we will -- I know we will accomplish much more if we're able to communicate better and if the words we choose, and the strategies we adopt, and the approaches we take convey that cultural sensitivity and due regard for the opinions and accomplishments of those we seek to influence.
Tonight, my purpose is really to listen and learn. And the Aga Khan, for instance, has dedicated much of his life to bridging differences between cultures and enhancing and preserving rich cultural legacies. And others have been leaders in supporting cultural exchange programs or preserving the written or physical record of great civilizations.
And I hope that as we talk tonight about how we in America can contribute more effectively to these efforts, that your points will really help us in figuring out how to integrate cultural concerns into our day-to-day conduct of US foreign policy.
And I know that we'll have a very stimulating discussion, and I'm anxious to hear your ideas and comments. And my thanks and, again, I'm very grateful to everybody for coming. And I'm hoping very much that we can have a structured informal discussion or informal structured discussion because there is a lot to learn. And I hope you can really open up and have all your ideas.
So with that, I think we can begin the dinner and then start talking. And I don't know, maybe you are willing to get us started talking. Thank you for being terrific.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)
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