Good morning in Mexico and the United States. Good evening in Egypt and South Africa. On behalf of President Bush and the American people, I welcome all of you to this interactive classroom.

In the United States, today's events kick off our celebration of International Education Week. This is a wonderful way to demonstrate that the world can be brought into the classroom and that international education is for everyone.

Education can unite us. It is the common ground for all people, regardless of geography, political system, religion or ethnicity. Education can bring us together. There is so much we can learn from each other.

For example, Egypt is the cradle of history. You have helped educate the world for over 6,000 years. The first schools were in Egypt. Our cultural debt to you is immeasurable.

South Africa is a land of history in the making. You have made a remarkable, peaceful transition to full democracy. You, too, have much to teach us.

Mexico, our sister nation on this continent, is a beautiful land of literature and multi-layered history: Mayan, Aztec, Spanish and then Mexican. I have been honored to visit some of your schools and museums.

Through technology, you can be anywhere, see anything, learn everything. You are only limited by your energy and imagination. The world is now literally at your fingertips. And this access grows with the passing of each day.

I believe the educational process is the best hope for a more united and tolerant world. It can prize different cultures and teach us to respect those differences. It can show us the importance of preserving languages, helping the less fortunate and protecting our environment. It can help bring students together from any where to any place. It makes students around the world classmates, colleagues and neighbors. Through video-conferencing, the use of the Internet and other applications of technology, you bridge distance, time and circumstance. Our world grows smaller and more accessible, while your understanding of the world and your role in its future grows larger.

Again, welcome.

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