Remarks of The Honorable Roderick Paige at The Afghanistan-America Summit on Recovery and Reconstruction, Georgetown University
FOR RELEASE:
July 25, 2002
Contact: Dan Langan
(202) 401-1576
Thank you Dr. McAuliffe for that introduction. A long-standing commitment requires me to be 2,000 miles away this afternoon, so I hope you will understand that I cannot stay. Sometimes I think my scheduler has more control over my life than I do.
But I have brought along one of my most trusted advisers, Dr. Susan Sclafani, to stand in and report back to me.
I am honored to be here to help welcome our distinguished guests from Afghanistan, most particularly, Dr. Sharief Fayez, Afghanistan's Minister of Higher Education.
I strongly believe in what we are working to accomplish together. And I thank Georgetown University for hosting this summit to develop strategies to help our friends in Afghanistan rebuild and recover.
I hope all our colleges and universities follow your lead and step up to the plate. There is much work to do and everyone has a role to play.
I applaud the dedication and commitment of the Working Groups. One glance at the draft of the development framework is all you need to see all the hard work that has gone into this.
But the fruit of your labor is going to make a profound difference in the lives of so many people for generations to come.
Over the past year, many here in America have stepped back to reevaluate priorities. And to focus on what's really important in life.
Many found meaning in the words of a 4-year-old Pennsylvania girl who offered up a simple and poignant solution to terrorism. She said: "Why don't we just tell them our names."
Every parent recognized the toddler logic in those words that said: "Why can't everyone play nice?"
President Bush often says if a law would make people love each other, he'd sign it in a heartbeat. Truth is, you can't make people love each other. You can only do your part to make the world a better place.
I am proud of our President's strong and unwavering commitment to the cause of freedom and to the people of Afghanistan.
That commitment speaks loud and clear in every shipment of fertilizer and emergency seeds...in every teacher training program...in every vaccination drive...in every load of wheat for the widows' bakeries...and in every effort to lift and empower families and communities.
As Secretary of Education, I spend my days working to ensure that every child in America's schools is educated so no child is left behind.
And one of the most heartwarming things I've seen is the way the children of America have opened their hearts and their piggy banks to help ensure no child in Afghanistan is left behind.
When the President first put out the call, hundreds of thousands of children responded, raising millions of dollars. Their money bought school supplies for 40,000 Afghan children, clean drinking water, medical materials, tents, tarps, winter clothing, kitchen sets and blankets.
Many of their letters echoed the thoughts of a little boy with a great name—Roderick—who wrote to say: "I wish I could give you two dollars, but I have only one dollar. We are all sad at my elementary school. I wish we could just get along."
When President Bush and I unveiled the Friendship through Education initiative last October, our nation's school children responded again.
They reached out to share their thoughts, their dreams and their culture with students in Afghanistan Refugee Camps and other countries in the Middle, Far and Near East.
And in the exchange many found they are more alike than different.
More than 350 schools have teamed up with schools in Islamic countries—through programs like People to People, Sister Cities and the Schools Outfitting Schools campaign.
SOS is run by the Friendship through Education Consortium and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.
Under the program, $300 buys a School-in-a-Box kit with enough supplies for 80 students and their teachers—including chalkboards and chalk, paper and pencils, and other basic needs.
That's what the children at Sunnyside Elementary School in Washington state chose to do for the children of Afghanistan. They decided to buy enough of these boxes to outfit the same number of children as were enrolled at Sunnyside—352.
So they decorated oatmeal boxes and began collecting their pennies and quarters and dollars. The first- and second-graders made adding up all the money a math project. They wrote reports about their efforts.
As word got out about what the children were doing, more and more money started arriving from around this small, rural community. From businesses and service groups. Churches and proud parents. And when they were through, they had raised $2,100—enough to buy far more supplies than their original goal.
Every day, Friendship through Education is making a real difference—not only in the lives of children half a world away, but also in the lives of our own children right here at home.
People all over the U.S. and 80 countries have visited the website at www.friendshipthrougheducation.org to see how they can help. And more are signing up every day.
I encourage more schools to participate to help the children of Afghanistan. In the war against terror, children can fight fear with friendship.
I am pleased to announce that the Department of Education is sending a check this week for $800,000 to the Friendship through Education Consortium so they can continue their good work.
Americans celebrated with Afghan boys AND girls when they went back to school last spring with an outpouring of supplies and support. And I've no doubt that this year will be no different.
There is no shortage of people of good heart and goodwill in America. And I look forward to working with you, Dr. Fayez, as we continue to find ways to put that goodwill to use in your country.
Thank you all very much.
Back to Top
Return to Speeches
| 
Official U.S. Department of Education web site.