Thank you, Beatriz.
Your Royal Highness, your Excellencies, Ambassador and Mrs. Solomont, honored guests:
Good afternoon. Thank you for having me here today.
My first trip to Spain was after college, and while my Spanish is pretty rusty...
¡Estoy encantada de estar de vuelta aquí en España!
(Es-TOY EN-cahn-TAH-de estar de vwell-tah estar aquí en España!)
[I’m excited to be back here in Spain!]
The Service Innovation Summit is our Embassy’s latest project to support citizen service and volunteerism in Spain. It’s a great opportunity to build and strengthen connections between the American, Spanish, and European service communities.
Through the public sphere, the private sector, and individual action, voluntary community service is a cornerstone of a vibrant civil society—and a healthy democracy.
By bringing together businesses, individuals, NGOs and governments, we expand our collective talent and knowledge base. And, we better serve our communities at home and abroad.
As Americans, daily, we see the value of this engagement. This is the reason we are committed to sharing our experiences and learning from one another. We want to join forces and strengthen our global civil society.
This week, we’re here to create community-based solutions to everyday challenges that face our countries.
Each time I meet with foreign students and visitors, I see firsthand our successes. The American spirit of volunteerism always inspires them. Many go on to boost civic engagement at home, and our world is always a better place for it.
In this effort, the U.S. Embassy is an innovative team player. Ambassador Solomont has personally spearheaded outreach to local leaders. The Embassy supports volunteer programs in Madrid schools, and there’s a wealth of helpful information on the Embassy’s website.
We’ve also welcomed a number of service leaders from Spain to the United States to work with their counterparts. Several of them—as well as a few future participants—are with us today!
Please stand and be recognized.
Thank you again to Embassy Madrid and to its partners, the Meridian International Center and the Rafael del Pino Foundation. By orchestrating this important conversation, you’ve done incredible work.
Our Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is a longtime supporter of that work— both personally and publicly. Under her leadership, the State Department continues to build relationships with global civil society.
Now, from Washington, D.C., let’s welcome Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton!