Partners for a New Beginning

File:Partners for a New Beginning.jpg

Secretary Clinton Announces Partners for A New Beginning with Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Walter Isaacson, and Barclay Resler at the U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, April 27, 2010.

In his A New Beginning speech on June 4, 2009, at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt, President Obama stated that "I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles -- principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings." During the speech, he also committed to "host a Summit on Entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world."

To support the President's New Beginning goals, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched Partners for a New Beginning along with Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Walter Isaacson (President of The Aspen Institute), and Muhtar Kent (Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company) on April 27, 2010.

Background on Partners for a New Beginning

In an official signing ceremony in conjunction with the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship on April 27, 2010, the U.S. Department of State entered into a partnership with Partners for a New Beginning (PNB) - a group of eminent Americans from a variety of sectors who will reach out systematically to private sector entities at the highest level to harness private sector resources and capabilities to advance New Beginning programs and goals. This partnership was officially announced during Secretary Clinton's remarks at the close of the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright serves as the Chair of PNB. Walter Isaacson (President of The Aspen Institute) and Muhtar Kent (Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company) serve as Vice-Chairs. The Department of State will provide a small sum of funding to support the secretariat, which will be hosted by the Aspen Institute.

PNB will reach out to U.S. companies, universities, laboratories, research centers, NGOs, Foundations, philanthropists and others to harness their resources, capabilities and expertise to complement New Beginning programs and partnerships. As Secretary Clinton explained at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, "For example, they might reach out to companies to provide equipment and technology for the Scientific Centers of Excellence overseas, or help launch internships and mentoring programs for emerging business leaders, or encourage angel investors in this country to partner with angel investors abroad. Through collaborations like these, Partners for a New Beginning will deepen ties between our people and institutions, and give more Americans the chance to contribute to this common endeavor."

The four main areas of focus for PNB will include:

• Economic opportunity: advancing entrepreneurship, business support services, and increasing access to capital;
• Science and technology: supporting local labs, universities, and other institutions that advance innovation;
• Education: advancing access to educational tools and building human capacity to equip people for employment opportunities;
• Exchange: advancing human connectedness, understanding, and people-to-people ties.

Remarks by Secretary Clinton

During her opening remarks at the PNB announcement, Secretary Clinton stated that "I think that this is one of those occasions in the diplomatic history of our country that we will look back on and say that that made a difference."

She explained that "This is a high priority for both the President and myself. We really believe that person-to-person diplomacy in today’s world is as important as what we do in official meetings in national capitals across the globe. It can’t be achieved, though, just by our government asserting it. It can only be achieved by the kind of public-private partnerships that the United States is uniquely known for and which we are unveiling today: people and groups working across sectors, industries; working together with persistence and creativity to fulfill that promise of a new beginning and translate it into positive benefits.

So this partnership is a high priority for us and it’s one that I will be personally committed to as I announce it later this afternoon at the Entrepreneurship Summit. We really are committed to unleashing the potential, the individual and collective potential, of people around the world and particularly in Muslim-majority countries."

Remarks by Secretary Albright

In her speech at the ceremony, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright discussed the importance of public-private partnerships in foreign policy: "I think that what was said by President Obama in Cairo bears highlighting. And he said the principles of justice and progress, tolerance, and the dignity of all human beings as a central to a new beginning – a central point. And I think he recognized the need for a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek common ground. And the partnership really does build on these pillars to advance the President’s vision by focusing on these elements of economic opportunity and entrepreneurship, innovation in science and technology, education, and people-to-people exchanges. And taken together, these projects can go much further to strengthening the bonds between the United States and the citizens of Muslim-majority nations, and to do so based on a philosophy – and I think we should keep repeating these words – mutual understanding, mutual interests, and mutual respect.

Now, I did learn – it’s always terrifying to people to know that you actually learned something while you’re Secretary of State – is that the real importance about public-private partnerships and the great difference that can be made when businesses get involved with nongovernmental organizations and the government in order to really propel issues forward. And I think it’s that combination, Hillary, that I think is going to make this so important. I think that it is an effective way to move forward and I do think that these kinds of partnerships will be a way to really begin anew. So here I am with a new beginning, Madam Secretary. Thank you again for asking me to do something on behalf of the United States of America. There is no greater honor."

Remarks by Walter Isaacson

In his remarks to commemorate the occasion, Walter Isaacson shared this story about Benjamin Franklin: "If you go outside, you see the two greatest portraits of him, the Siffred Duplessis portrait right by the elevators that’s on the $100 bill, but also the David Martin portrait in the Franklin Room, which was his own favorite with Newton looking down on him. He was the one who first did all this. He knew that small businesses and voluntary associations would be the backbone of what made this country strong but also gave it a link around the world.

And not only did he start all sorts of associations and public-private partnerships, he launched the first public-private partnership in America, which was a hospital in Philadelphia, in which half the money was to come from subscriptions and lottery and the other half was to come from the Pennsylvania Assembly, which it did. And still inscribed on the door is his motto for it, which is, 'To pour forth benefits for the common good is divine.'

During his lifetime, he donated to the building fund of each and every church built in Philadelphia, and at one point, they were building a new hall for visiting preachers, and he wrote the fundraising document that said even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send somebody here to teach us Islam and preach about Mohammed, we should offer them a pulpit and listen, for we might learn. And then on his deathbed, he was the largest individual contributor to the Mikveh Israel Synagogue, the first synagogue built in Philadelphia. So when he died, instead of his minister accompanying him to the grave, all 35 ministers, priests, and preachers along linked on to the rabbi of the Jews and marched with him to the grave.

That’s what we’re fighting for in this world today. That’s what you represent, Secretary Clinton, and that’s what we hope – to be foot soldiers in your crusade. Thank you so very much."

Remarks by Barclay Resler on behalf of Muhtar Kent

At the ceremony, Barclay Resler read a statement by Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent, which focused on the private sector perspective on the New Beginning effort: "Across the Arab world alone, our bottling partners operate 58 plants, employ 40,000 people, providing livelihoods for 500,000 families, and have invested more than a billion dollars in the last few years. We’re the third largest employer, the fifth largest investor in the Palestine Authority area, employing 350 Palestinians and providing livelihoods for 5,000 families. Over the next 10 years, job creation and the growth of a middle class will be among the most powerful and defining global developments. Women in particular will be a driving force of the economic empowerment in the developing world. Global corporations have an important role to play in small business development and in helping to create sustainable communities where they operate.

To do business successfully in a multicultural environment, you need to demonstrate respect, flexibility, sensitivity, open-mindedness, and a genuine interest in understanding the differences between people. That is why we are honored to stand here today and lend our support to this important initiative. We look forward to playing our part to foster further private sector engagement between the United States, Muslim communities, and citizens in an inclusive and constructive way."