Opening Ceremony Speech
XXIV National Conference for Teachers of English
“Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders”
Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano
January 23, 2008
( audio )
His Excellency Leonardo Garnier, Minister of Public Education
His Excellency Neil Reeder, Ambassador of Canada
Mr. Karl Schmack, Executive Director, Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano
Mr. Arturo Muñoz, Chair of Organizing Committee
Conference Hosts, Guest Speakers, and Teachers of English:
I am pleased and honored to be with you for the inauguration of this twenty-fourth annual National Conference for Teachers of English. As some of you may know, I had the pleasure of serving in Costa Rica once before as Public Affairs Officer -- a period during which I had the privilege of working closely with, and serving on the Board of this Centro Cultural. So I am very familiar with -- and highly appreciative of -- the wonderful work that you do. I want to extend a special welcome to our English Language Fellows from throughout Latin America, to the visiting Regional English Language Officers, and to our visitors from our office of English language programs in Washington. For those who don’t know, both the Fellows and the Officers are an integral part of the U.S. Department of State’s investment in English language teaching and learning throughout the world. Wendy Senft, our current English Language Fellow here in San Jose, who is sponsored by our Public Affairs Section and the Centro Cultural, has been here for almost five months and in that time frame has provided training to over 800 teachers in nine of the twenty-two regions of Costa Rica. We appreciate your efforts, Wendy, and those of all of our fellows in Latin America. Let’s give them a big round of applause.
Congratulations are also due to the organizers of this 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. Let’s give them a big round of applause as well. I have no doubt that all of you will benefit from the exchange of ideas and information over the next three days.
An anonymous author once said: “Words are some of the most powerful and important things I know … Language is the tool of love and the weapon of hatred. It's the bright red warning flag of danger – and the stone foundation of diplomacy and peace.”
Your theme this year – “Empowering tomorrow’s leaders” – recognizes the power of language – in this case, the English language – and the importance of communication as part of that foundation.
I think we all also recognize that English is not always the easiest language to teach, in part because of the constantly-evolving nature of the English language, and the many variations, idiomatic expressions, exceptions to the rule, and linguistic non-sequiturs in our language.
I’m reminded of some of the wonderful lines by the comedian George Carlin, on the inconsistencies of the English language. He would ask things, for instance, such as:
- If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren’t people from Holland called Holes? Or..
- Why do people say something is out of whack? What is a whack, anyway? Or..
- If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
- Why is a man who invests all your money called a broker?
- Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist, but a person who drives a race car not called a racist?
- If lawyers are disbarred, and clergymen are defrocked, doesn’t it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?
But all joking aside, what you are doing is really critical. When a person in Latin America learns English as a second language, it opens the door to greater employment opportunities and the chance to make a better life for themselves and their families. It truly is a tool to empower leaders, today and tomorrow. One only has to look at the want ads to see the importance of it.
And this importance will 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 39% 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 this country’s well-developed tourism industry, which draws hundreds of thousands of North Americans each year. And these ties will no doubt increase with the implementation of the CAFTA agreement.
And language study implies not only acquisition of the language, but also a greater understanding of the customs, religions, and way of life of other people. English proficiency opens access to a vast array of information that enhances cultural exchange and mutual understanding. Senator J. William Fulbright said something upon the establishment of the prestigious academic program that bears his name that I think ultimately applies to the goal of learning another language: “… it aims to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs and thereby to increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship."
On behalf of the U.S. Embassy, I want to thank you for the great work you are doing, and wish you all a very successful and enjoyable conference. Thank you.
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