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HighlightsTuesday, December 14, 2004 

Secretary Powell greets New York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams, right, during a ceremony recognizing the efforts of the Cultural Ambassadors, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2004 in Washington. Williams is the newest Cultural Ambassador. [AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta]CultureConnect
Secretary Powell (Dec. 13): "In today's world, the cultural exchange between peoples is just as important as the official diplomacy between states. Today, our voices carry far beyond the apparatus of government and the cultural ties we forge between peoples and nations will help us to seize the countless opportunities of this young century." [full text]

collage of photos: Iraqi girl at school, wounded girl from Sudan with bandages lies in makeshift bed, men and women in line to vote in Kosovo, and women in Cuba marching in protest (AP Wideworld photo)Human Rights Day
Secretary Powell: "President George W. Bush has officially declared the week of December 10-17, 2004, to be Human Rights Week and December 10, 2004, to be Human Rights Day. In commemorating this week, we reaffirm our commitment to the principles which have come to characterize our nation....Today, millions of people across the globe are denied basic human rights, and so on every continent we make important immediate and long-term investments in democracy and human rights....Our fight for human rights will continue so long as tyrannical regimes infringe upon the freedom of citizens." [full text]

Transatlantic Relations
Secretary Powell (Dec. 9): "NATO remains the essential forum for our transatlantic community, but we are only as strong as our capabilities. Our capabilities are our credibility. The United States and Europe must work in partnership, using our different strengths and abilities to advance the values of freedom and peace...." [full text]

Two of the many schoolchildren benefiting from active community involvement, led by the Imam Shokirjon Valiev, in USAID-funded basic education projects in the Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan. [Photo courtesy USAID--Saskia Funston]Schoolchildren Benefit From Community Involvement
Two of the many schoolchildren benefiting from active community involvement, led by the Imam Shokirjon Valiev, in USAID-funded basic education projects in the Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan.
In Other News
Under Secretary Dobriansky is head of the U.S. delegation at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 6-17, 2004.

Marriage and visa fraud potentially threaten the national security of the United States. The U.S. is firmly committed to fighting these crimes and bringing those who commit them to justice.

Afghanistan Unveiled is the first film about Afghan women by Afghan women. It is about life under the Taliban and a journey for the truth by 14 Afghan journalists.


The State Department has sponsored a new book promoting international opportunities for people with disabilities: "Survival Strategies for Going Abroad: A Guide for People with Disabilities."

Visit our student website to find an interesting country and learn about it, read kids' stories about what life is really like in other parts of the world, test your geographical knowledge, and much, much more.


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