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Skriven 2006-05-09 23:34:44 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0605099) for Tue, 2006 May 9
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Mrs. Bush's Remarks at the Mosaic Foundation's Ninth Annual Benefit Gala
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For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
May 9, 2006

Mrs. Bush's Remarks at the Mosaic Foundation's Ninth Annual Benefit Gala
The National Building Museum
Washington, D.C.



7:42 P.M. EDT

MRS. BUSH: Thank you all very much. Thank you, Luma. Thank you very much
for your kind introduction. Thank you for this wonderful idea, the Mosaic
Foundation, and the Mosaic Sesame. I want to also recognize Nermin Fahmy,
the Spouse of the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, who is the
Chairman of the Board of the Mosaic Foundation. And of course, Her Majesty,
Queen Rania, we're so happy that you're here with us tonight.

I'm delighted to be here this evening with all of you, distinguished
members of the diplomatic corps, members of Congress, Cabinet secretaries,
royal guests, and of course, Khokha and Elmo.

Her Majesty, Queen Rania, in addition to being the mother of four beautiful
young children -- and she's probably watched a lot of Sesame Street because
of that -- Her Majesty is an eloquent advocate and role model for women and
children everywhere. Improving the lives of women and children is also the
reason we're here tonight at the Mosaic Foundation Gala.

When the Mosaic Foundation was established in 1998, these ambassadors'
wives saw their time in the United States as an opportunity not only to
help their spouses in their important work, but also to help others around
the world. President Bush and I thank you for your dedication and your
service, and we especially appreciate your commitment to strengthen the
ties between America and the peoples of the Arab world. (Applause.)

And one of the best ways to bring our countries closer is to work together
on our shared challenges, like extending opportunity to all children. We
know to accomplish this goal, every child must be educated. So this
evening, I'm especially delighted to celebrate the Mosaic Foundation's
partnership with Sesame Workshop.

Sesame Street and I go back a long way -- not as early as Luma, I'll have
to say, but I often watched the show with my daughters Barbara and Jenna
when they were little. I remember once especially, when Jenna was just a
baby, one year old maybe, I was sitting at my desk, and she was sitting on
the floor in front of Sesame Street, and a very simple, very charming
lesson came on to count just one, two, three, with a ball that jumped at
every count of one, two, three, and really very effective music. And Jenna
watched this little segment on Sesame Street, and then turned to me with a
very knowing look, like, wasn't that amusing? (Laughter.)

Then, after Barbara and Jenna were grown, I had the chance to be on Sesame
Street in the United States with Elmo, where Elmo and I taught children the
sound of W. I thought they gave me a very appropriate letter. (Laughter.)
"Wubba, wubba, woo," we said for W.

Now with the help of Sesame Workshop and the Mosaic Foundation, millions of
parents around the world can spend mornings on Sesame Street with their
children, like I used to do with Barbara and Jenna. Sesame Workshop already
has unique national programs in ten countries outside of the United States,
and many more shows will begin airing soon. Secretary Rice recently visited
Indonesia, where she announced an $8.5 million partnership between USAID,
Sesame Workshop, and the Indonesian government to bring the show to
children there by 2007.

When I was in India in March, I taped a segment for the first episode of
Galli Galli Sim Sim, the new Sesame program for Indian children. With the
help of $500,000 from USAID, Galli Galli Sim Sim will start airing in India
in August.

And last year, when I was in Cairo, Suzanne Mubarak and I had a wonderful
time when we taped a segment for Alam Simsim, the Sesame program for
Egyptian children. That's when I first met Khokha, who is here tonight.
Khokha came all the way from Egypt to be with us. Khokha wants to be an
astronaut or a doctor when she grows up, and she's encouraging Egyptian
girls to pursue their dreams, in every field, even those that are not
traditionally open to girls.

From Germany to China, from Mexico to Jordan, children are learning to
count, they're learning the days of the week and the colors of the rainbow,
from Sesame shows produced in their own languages and cultures. These shows
are teaching children around the world how to get along with their
neighbors, and most important, they're giving them all those great
pre-reading skills so they can learn to read.

Reading is vital to our goal of improving lives for women and children
around the world. Across the globe, more than 800 million people are
illiterate; 85 percent of them live in just 34 countries, concentrated in
regions affected by the highest poverty. And more than two-thirds of the
771 million adults who cannot read a simple book or write a basic sentence
are women. In villages around the world, mothers who can read encourage
their children to learn to read.

Literate mothers can also participate in their economies, and they can earn
a living for themselves and their families. So widespread literacy isn't
just a luxury for healthy societies, it's a basic requirement.

Increasing literacy is also essential to the spread of liberty that's now
benefiting women and children across the globe, because literacy and
freedom are inseparable. Literacy is the foundation of personal freedom.
Being able to read, and choosing what we read, is how we shape our beliefs,
our minds, and our characters.

Reading brings self-reliance and independence. For many women and their
children, literacy can even mean the difference between life and death. A
mother who can read can understand the label on a food container. She knows
how to follow the instructions on a bottle of medicine. She's more likely
to make wise decisions about her life that will keep her and her children
healthy.

Literacy is the foundation of economic freedom. Free markets require
informed consumers, and that means consumers who can read. Wider literacy
also increases economic participation, which leads to more stable and
vibrant economies.

To help more women and children enjoy the benefits of literacy, I'm
convening a Conference on Global Literacy in New York this September in
association with the United Nations General Assembly. Working in
cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. State
Department, USAID and UNESCO, we'll be looking at literacy programs that
work, and connecting countries with the information they need to implement
similar programs. (Applause.)

The conference will encourage leaders from around the world to become
involved in literacy in their own countries. I invite you to participate,
and to discover the opportunities to further support education and literacy
for all.

Last year, Her Majesty Queen Rania and I visited a Discovery School in
Jordan, where children learned through technology and about technology in a
co-educational environment. During that trip, I met with children who
shared their thoughts about Jordan's future. The girls spoke of greater
opportunity for women, including the chance to occupy more influential
positions of leadership. The boys spoke of how cutting-edge Jordanians
would help lead the Middle East toward greater prosperity. This visit was a
reminder that our children have no shortage of ambitious dreams for
themselves and for their societies.

So tonight, I want to thank the Mosaic Foundation for your commitment to
education for children in the Middle East and around the world. Thank you
for your partnership with Sesame Workshop. Thank you for helping children
around the world learn to read and to have fun doing it. And thank you
again for being here tonight. I look forward to seeing you in New York in
September at the global conference. Thank you all very much. (Applause.)

END 7:52 P.M. EDT

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