Remarks of Ambassador James F. Moriarty at the International Conference on Knowledge Globalization Closing Ceremony

May 10, 2010

Honored guests, Dr. Hafiz G. A. Siddiqi, Dr. Mawdudur Rahman, Mr. M. A. Kashem; Ladies and gentlemen;
Assalamu-aleikum and thank you for welcoming me here tonight for the closing ceremony of the 2010 Knowledge Globalization Conference.

It is truly an honor to be a part of such an innovative effort to bring people together from all different walks of life, and from every corner of the world, with the sole purpose of finding better ways to spur development through the exchange of knowledge.

The ever-wise Plato once said “Knowledge is the food of the soul.” How true that is. In developing nations across the globe, we find people hungry not only for food, but also for science, philosophy and new technology. The connection between a society’s development and its pursuit and dissemination of advanced knowledge cannot be overstated. In Bangladesh, you see this hunger, this desire to innovate and pursue a better future for the sons and daughters of this brave nation.

The United States is committed to a worldwide exchange of knowledge for the advancement of all.  Each year, we demonstrate our commitment through the exchange of thousands of participants on numerous cultural and educational exchanges between the United States and countries all around the globe. Last year, through exchange programs such as these, our mission in Dhaka sent more than 100 Bangladeshis to the U.S. and welcomed dozens of Americans to Bangladesh. The success of these programs is a testament to the tremendous value of forging new avenues for the dissemination across the globe of academic thought and human achievement.

However, this is just a small piece of the pie. The United States is a committed partner of Bangladesh, providing more than $5.5 billion in development assistance since liberation.  Through the dynamic and vibrant relationship our two countries share, we have been able to work together to confront considerable adversity.  Looking to the future, the United States hopes this relationship will grow deeper and even more beneficial for the citizens of our two nations.

You often hear me refer to three important components of the U.S.-Bangladesh relationship: democracy, development, and denial of space to extremists. Education is at the cross section of these three issues.  If our goal is to increase knowledge sharing within the developing world, initiatives that enable all segments of society to access education are key.  Education opens an infinite number of doors for global engagement; at a fundamental level it nurtures better informed voters who make better citizens and help advance the cause of better governance. At the same time, education helps bring not just growth, but a chance at a better life. And education gives people economic and social options that are alternatives to extremism.

Bangladesh has made great strides in improving access to education in recent years, and the United States is doing its part to help. We are training Bangladeshi secondary school teachers, not to tell them what to teach, but to help them learn skills that will improve their ability to engage students. We are helping improve English-language education in rural areas and in madrassas. We fund pre-primary education programs and have supported Sisimpur –known as Sesame Street in the U.S. - from the beginning. It is now the most widely-watched children’s television program in the country. We do this so that all students can go to school ready to succeed. We aim to instill a love of learning in children early on to ensure they stay in school and fulfill their potential.

Education is the first step in preparing people to interact with the outside world and develop their society; supporting tomorrow's innovators and entrepreneurs is an important second step which the United States strongly supports. Long term, sustained economic growth in Bangladesh depends on a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. As the economic relationship between the U.S. and Bangladesh continues to mature, our success in fostering an environment where these future business and economic leaders can thrive is vitally important.

President Obama made clear in his speech in Cairo last June that the U.S. desires to deepen our relationship within the Muslim world. Just last month, President Obama hosted the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington. He challenged representatives from across the world to seek out new ways to inspire entrepreneurship in their home countries. 

The participants stressed the need to support innovation and economic growth in Muslim-majority nations such as Bangladesh.  A special guest at this conference was Tamara Abed of BRAC, who shared her experience engaging women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh with other international entrepreneurs in attendance. It is this human to human exchange of knowledge and know-how that the United States enthusiastically supports and works to continue and expand in future.

While we are looking for new opportunities to expand these relationships, we should not overlook existing ties. The hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi-Americans currently living and working in the United States represent a network already in existence, rich in knowledge and experience. Beyond their importance as major contributors to Bangladesh’s economy each year, this group is exceptionally well educated and successful.  I urge you to continue to reach out to Bangladeshis teaching, learning and innovating in the United States.  They have an important role to play in Bangladesh’s development.  Keeping Bangladeshi-Americans connected to their homeland ensures that they stay involved and committed to its future progress.

I am proud of what my government is helping the Government of Bangladesh accomplish.  But while cooperation between governments is extremely valuable, cooperation between people will bring about a better world for future generations.  This is especially true with regards to knowledge sharing. Government has a responsibility to ensure an environment where information can flow freely. At the end of the day, however, it is people, such as all of you, who will make this global initiative a success. I wish you the best of luck as you take on this important challenge.

Thank you for the invitation to speak tonight. It has truly been a pleasure. I sincerely hope everyone enjoys the rest of this evening’s festivities.