Remarks to the Graduation Ceremony of the U.S. Business Internship Program for Young Middle Eastern Women

Thank you Scott for that introduction. I’m delighted to be here on this most special occasion: the graduation ceremony for 41 participants in the U.S. Business Internship Program for Young Middle Eastern Women. These impressive young women came from across the broader Middle East--in fact, 16 different countries. I’ve had the opportunity to chat with some of you, and it sounds like you have had terrific experiences. You’ve come a long way through your travels to America, your courses of study at Duke or Emory, and your internships at our country’s Fortune 500 businesses. We have been thrilled by the participation of companies like Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Boeing, and Daimler Chrysler, to name just a few.

Meeting you puts a personal face on an important policy effort we have worked on for the past several years: the Middle East Partnership Initiative, which is intended to assist the movement for reform coming from the Middle East. Two essential pillars of the program are economic reform and reforming the role of women. Having successfully completed this program, you are now in a position to act in both of these areas in your countries.

There is much work to do. Beginning in 2002, Arab scholars working with the United Nations Development Program released an "Arab Human Development Report." In it, the Arab scholars note the economic stagnation of much of the Middle East and observe a "freedom deficit…that undermines human development and is one of the most painful manifestations of lagging political development." The report goes on to assert that the most visible manifestation of this situation is the unequal role of women. All of these ills are interrelated and hurt the region.

However, change is afoot in many corners of the Middle East, and you are empowered to be at the forefront of this movement. Over the course of your careers, you can work to bring a greater measure of prosperity to your countries and the greater Middle East. To participate in this program, each of you demonstrated great talent and determination. Your skills have been enhanced over these past several months, and they will continue to advance in the coming months and years. I urge you to rise to the challenge of not only furthering your careers, but also the role women play in the Middle East. In so doing, you will bestow a great gift to your countries--you will be playing a pivotal role in fostering the prosperity and freedom that has been lacking. You will be businesswomen, but you will also be agents of change.

I also hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to stay in touch with each other, and with us back here. You have acted as ambassadors of your countries while you have been in the United States. Those with whom you have studied and worked have no doubt gained from a greater knowledge and understanding of your countries and traditions. In the years ahead, you can continue to be a bridge between cultures and nations. You can bring us all closer together by sharing what you have seen here. Talk about the opportunities you experienced. The more we communicate and the more we know about each other’s cultures, heritage and values, the more likely we are to live in a world of peace and prosperity.

You have come to the end of a long road and you deserve to be congratulated for your efforts. But you are also beginning a new challenge--one that is longer, more difficult and whose path is less clear. It will be a marathon--not a sprint. But the fact that you are here tonight shows that you are up to this challenge. Take the skills you have learned and the knowledge you have gained, and make a difference--not only for yourselves and your businesses, but for your countries and for the women of the Middle East.

I’ve had the opportunity to read some of the comments you made about your internships. Sumaya, from Kuwait, who interned at Lucent Technologies, observed that "Having this international exposure both by working in the U.S., and getting to know the other interns from the Middle East I think has added value to my perception of the world." Nouf, from Bahrain, who worked for Frito-Lay, wrote "I have been overwhelmed with new knowledge over the course of this program through the academic and the professional portions and intend to use them to the betterment of my company back home." Finally, Dara, from Egypt, who worked at DDB Seattle, said "the program has made me more confident and has enriched me on so many different levels personally and career-wise."

Each of these testaments is very heartening for all of us, and they demonstrate your spirit of determination and optimism. Congratulations to each of you. It is an honor for me to be here to celebrate this important occasion with you. I am confident you will be the leaders of tomorrow in your countries, and that we will be working together with you on the challenges of the future.