Opening Ceremony Speech
XXV National Conference for Teachers of English
“Learning: Enlightening Our Inner Self”
Wednesday January 21, 2009
Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano
(remarks as prepared)
His Excellency Leonardo Garnier, Minister of Public Education
Ms. Sheila Pacheco, Vice-Consul of Her British Majesty
His Excellency, Neil Reeder, Ambassador of Canada
Karl Schmack, Executive Director of the Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano
Conference Hosts, Guest Speakers, and Teachers of English:
Thank you, Karl. I am pleased and honored to be with you for the inauguration of the twenty-fifth annual National Conference for Teachers of English. Twenty-five years is quite a milestone, and one of which you should be very proud.
I have discovered firsthand that mastering another language is not easy. I therefore have an even greater appreciation for the work that you do, trying to help the young people of Costa Rica learn English. I must confess that there are some of us who are native English speakers who still find it challenging.
When I was asked to serve as Ambassador to Costa Rica – a distinct honor for me – I knew that I would need to learn about the country, its people and its culture, in order to fulfill the duties of my office. One of the things I knew I needed to work on was my Spanish, because a common language is key to good communication and mutual understanding. I have to thank my Spanish teacher, who has been very patient with me as I work to increase my knowledge of your language. A veces no es fácil, pero cada día hago un esfuerzo nuevo!
So I applaud you as teachers. What you have done and will continue to do is vitally important. When a person in Latin America learns English as a second language, it enables them to enjoy greater employment opportunities and make a better life for themselves and their families. You only have to look at the employment ads to see the value. As one of the recent graduates of the English program here at the Centro Cultural said, “English is not an option, but a requirement in the professional world.”
The Costa Rican Government’s announcement of the National English Plan last March underscored English proficiency as a priority for the Arias Administration, and our Embassy will continue to look for ways to assist in this vital effort. The State Department-sponsored English Language Fellows and the Regional English Language Officer participating in this conference represent a very real investment in English language teaching and learning throughout the world by the United States and demonstrate our recognition of the importance of this initiative.
And this importance will only continue to grow. Economic ties between the USA and its friends in Central America are deep. For example, the U.S. provides 39% of Costa Rica’s imports and purchases 41% of its exports. Two-thirds of Costa Rica’s direct foreign investment comes from the U.S. And about 300,000 jobs in Costa Rica can be attributed either directly or indirectly to the country’s well-developed tourism industry, which draws hundreds of thousands of North Americans each year. And these ties will no doubt strengthen with the implementation of the CAFTA agreement. We are good friends, and friends work together.
Congratulations to the organizers of the conference, who have worked throughout the past year to organize this important event, particularly to the dedicated staff at the Centro Cultural, the Ministry of Public Education, and our Embassy’s Cultural Affairs Office. You share a common goal of improving the teaching and learning of English, and I have no doubt that all of you will benefit from the exchange of ideas and information during the next three days.
On behalf of the U.S. Embassy, I wish you all a very successful and enjoyable conference.
Thank you.
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