2009 Speeches and Articles
Fulbright Awards Ceremony at the Residence
Remarks by the Ambassador
June 23, 2009
Fulbright scholars and students, distinguished guests, it is my pleasure to have you here tonight to honor a great program, and all those who support and participate in it.
Without a doubt, the Fulbright Program is recognized as THE premier international educational exchange program in the world. Fulbright fosters academic excellence and freedom, intellectual integrity, and cross-cultural awareness.
More than 140 countries and 250,000 individuals have participated in the Fulbright Program worldwide since its inception in 1946. Fulbright alumni include 37 Nobel Prize and 65 Pulitzer Prize winners, as well as many, many other distinguished professionals.
The 50 recipients of 2009 Fulbright scholarships being recognized tonight were chosen after rigorous review from a large pool of extremely qualified candidates.
To be awarded a Fulbright scholarship is to join an elite group of individuals who represent the best in their fields and who embody the spirit of education and global understanding. My congratulations to you all!
The Fulbright Foundation in Greece is the oldest Fulbright Program in Europe, and the second oldest in the world. This is a testament to Greece’s commitment to education and international exchange.
Since its inception in 1948, approximately 4,500 scholarships have been awarded to Greek and American Scholars. The Fulbright Foundation in Greece can boast a Prime Minister, ministers, parliamentarians, a Nobel laureate, leading academics and bankers, and famous artists among its alumni ranks.
Senator Fulbright, the founder of the Fulbright Program, once said “the Fulbright Commission aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs, and thereby increase the chance that nations will learn to live in peace and friendship.”
The need for peace, understanding, and friendship is as great today as it was in Senator Fulbright’s time, and his mandate must still guide us. Looking around today, I see a roomful of people fully invested in realizing Senator Fulbright’s vision. Believe me, it’s a heartening thing see.
Special thanks to Artemis and her dedicated, hard-working colleagues at the Fulbright Foundation, who make this program such a success.
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