Video: Secretary Clinton on World Summit of Peace Prize Laureates

Video Remarks About the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

April 4, 2012

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I am delighted that this year’s World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates will be hosted by Chicago, a city with a history as rich as the Nobel Prize itself, and a place that is dear to my heart, since that's where I started life.
Some of the world’s greatest thinkers, leaders, and human rights activists will be meeting in Chicago to discuss the most pressing issues of the day. They come from all corners of the world, where they are making efforts every day to build peace, stand up for those who need an advocate, help more people realize their full potential. They are heroes for the underprivileged and underrepresented.
The Department of State is proud to be an active partner in this event. Working with our Embassies, we have identified 16 high school students and four teachers from Bangladesh, Burma, Liberia, and Yemen to travel to Chicago to participate in the summit. We are also using video conferencing to link students from Chicago to young people from several countries to discuss the themes of the summit, to find ways they can work for change and to discover their own common bonds.
But you can get involved as well. Teachers can visit the World Summit’s website to find educational resources, and students can participate in our virtual exchanges by submitting questions and ideas to Twitter using the hashtag: #Nobel. And you can stream the events live on the Internet.
So I urge you to get involved in this unique opportunity to connect with some of the world’s leading champions of human rights and freedom. And to think about how you can make a positive difference in your life and for the world. Thank you all very much.

Video: Secretary Clinton With Yemeni Nobel Prize Winner Tawakkul Karman

Remarks With Yemeni Nobel Prize Winner Tawakkul Karman After Their Meeting

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

East Hall

Washington, DC

October 28, 2011

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SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning. Well, I am extremely honored to welcome here to the State Department a woman that I had the privilege of meeting for the first time during my visit to Yemen. Tawakkul Karman has now been recognized by the Nobel Prize Committee, along with two other extraordinary women, for her commitment to democracy and human rights and for a better future for the Yemeni people. And as I just told her and her husband and delegation who are here, the United States supports a democratic transition in Yemen and the rights of the people of Yemen – men and women – to choose their own leaders and futures. And the United States wants to be a good partner for the Yemeni people as they fulfill the aspirations of the revolution of the youth of Yemen, and then to continue to support the creation of a new Yemen with political and economic opportunities for all its citizens.
Welcome.
MS. KARMAN: Thank you very much, Mrs. Clinton. Thank you very much. I want to say thank you for all American people, thank you for American administration. We in the youth revolution came to America to send them our voice, to tell them that we are the future. You have to be – (inaudible) with the future. Ali Saleh and his regime (inaudible) is over.
(Via interpreter) And we pledge to work together to have a democratic Yemen and that is where – with the vibrancy of a society, and we pledge to continue to work together in the future. You will see that the Yemeni youth and the Yemeni people are able to turn Yemen into a strategic (inaudible) for security around the world. And just like we surprised you with our revolution, we will surprise you with a state that we’re going to build.
We will work together a lot, and I think we can build the world together. Thank you very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much.
MS. KARMAN: Thank you. Thank you.
QUESTION: Could we get your reaction to those groups of Yemeni women that were burning their veils?
MS. KARMAN: (Via interpreter) It’s an expression of rejection of the injustice that the Saleh regime has imposed on them. And this is a new stage for the Yemeni women, because they will not hide behind veils or behind walls or anything else.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you all.

The Hillary Effect Resurfaces

The Nobel Committee made history last week by naming three women as this year's winners of the Peace Prize.  Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female president in Africa, Leymah Gbowee, also of Liberia,  and Tawakul Karman of Yemen were all congratulated last week by our esteemed Secretary of State who very early in her tenure made women and girls her signature issue and never delivers a major speech without mentioning that societies that ignore and subjugate half the population cannot succeed and prosper.
In a guest column at The Moderate Voice, Taylor Marsh credits Hillary Clinton's high profile campaign to put women and girls on fair footing internationally as having  an effect upon thinking world wide.

The Hillary Effect: Nobel Peace Prize for 2011 Goes to Three Activist Women

Posted by TAYLOR MARSH, Guest Voice Columnist in At TMV, Featured Articles.
Oct 8th, 2011

...it was Hillary Rodham Clinton who has tirelessly trumpeted to the world to wake up to what women’s contributions to their countries mean to the world and anyone wanting stability to rein in still developing, often troubled, regions.
As the Washington Post reported in January, 2010, the Hillary Effect was already in full swing around the world, because of Hillary’s presence, her footprint.

“Hillary Clintonz is so visible” as secretary of state, said Amelia Matos Sumbana, who just arrived as ambassador from Mozambique. “She makes it easier for presidents to pick a woman for Washington.”

No one in the Obama administration has worked harder in the last few years to put women’s rights in the forefront of changing countries more than Secy. Clinton. No one has so relentlessly made the case that women can close the gap in stabilizing a troubled country, including setting a burgeoning economy on firmer ground.
Read more >>>>

Here on these page, I am always trying to put Hillary out in front, to publicize her work,  and to help amplify her voice.  I seems, though, that a great deal of what she accomplishes happens behind the scenes or as an effect of work she has done.  The Hillary Effect.  The lovely lady herself does not appear to mind not getting credit for her impact.  Nevertheless, I will continue to tell that story.   This is one of my favorite pictures of her.  It was my wallpaper for a long time.  It says a mouthful.

Hillary Clinton Congratulates Female Nobel Peace Laureates

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Hillary Rodham Clinton

Congratulations to Female Nobel Peace Laureates

Press Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

October 7, 2011

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I am delighted to send heartfelt congratulations to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Yemeni activist Tawakkul Karman and Liberian peace activist Leymah Roberta Gbowee for the prestigious honor of sharing this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. They are shining examples of the difference that women can make and the progress they can help achieve when given the opportunity to make decisions about the future of their societies and countries.
The unflinching courage, strength and leadership of these women to build peace, advance reconciliation, and defend the rights of fellow citizens in their own countries provide inspiration for women’s rights and human progress everywhere. This recognition of their extraordinary accomplishments reflects the efforts of many other women who are promoting peace and security in their countries and communities. I want to commend the Nobel Committee for recognizing the powerful role women are playing in building peace and ending conflict around the world.

Secretary Clinton's Statement of the Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Liu Xiaobo

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

October 8, 2010

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I applaud the Nobel Committee’s decision to award this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo. Throughout its history, the Peace Prize has often been used to recognize the heroism of those who have, through persistent and peaceful efforts, sought to build a world that is more fair and free.

Mr. Liu has been a consistent advocate for fundamental freedoms and human rights for his fellow citizens and for peaceful political reform. Mr. Liu's work, including his role in the drafting of Charter ’08, and his receipt of this honor highlight the fact that while China has made tremendous economic progress in the last three decades, political reform has lagged behind. As I said in Krakow this summer, governments should recognize the constructive role that citizens such as Liu Xiaobo play. We urge China to uphold its international human rights obligations and to respect the fundamental freedoms and human rights of all Chinese citizens. We reiterate our call for Liu Xiaobo’s immediate release from prison.