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Video Remarks for LGBT Pride Award
Press StatementHillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateWashington, DCJuly 6, 2012
A big hello to all of you there in London. I am sorry I can’t be there in person to join the festivities and to say “thank you” for this special award. I want to acknowledge all the people who are working hard to advance human rights in their own communities around the world—people whose names may not be well-known but who are making a difference every day. They deserve our gratitude and our deep respect.
As I announced in Geneva last December, we’ve launched a Global Equality Fund—a fund that other governments, companies, and foundations can contribute to—that will provide support for civil society groups around the world that are working to protect the human rights of LGBT people.
Last month, we launched a toolkit for all of our embassies to support them in their efforts to advance our comprehensive human rights policy. And our diplomatic missions are coming up with their own creative ideas—hosting regional workshops that bring together government and civil society; facilitating groundbreaking roundtable discussions with young people; launching Pride film festivals, and more.
Thank you once again for honoring me with this award, and for standing up for the rights of LGBT people everywhere. On behalf of all my colleagues at the State Department and throughout the United States government, happy pride.
