http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/index/ en U.S. Department of State 2009-11-07T00:24:20+00:00 About the Author: Christina Higgins serves as Assistant Information Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem.

It’s sounds corny, but it’s true. Every time I have the honor of representing the United States at a local event, I choke up. It’s not hard to represent the United States, because we stand for enduring values. President Obama spoke about these values in a powerful speech on May 21, calling them, “a light that shines for all who seek freedom, fairness, equality, and dignity….” But I also choke up, because I feel an immense honor representing my aunts and uncles in Wisconsin and Ohio, my cousins in Florida, Texas, and Oregon, my friends throughout the United States.

It happened most recently in Bethlehem. I had the honor of attending graduation at a Palestinian high school. I presented an award for the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem’s online poetry contest. The contest winners hailed from Jerusalem, Hebron, Bethlehem and Gaza. As I entered the assembly hall, just behind the Boy Scouts clad in Scottish kilts, I was reminded of the fascinating and rich history of the Holy Land, where young Palestinians play traditional Arabic tunes on bagpipes. I presented the award to the winner, the beaming graduate, Khalid, and congratulated him on his poem, “Let’s rejoice. It’s Springtime!” Reflecting the contest’s theme of nature and conservation, he wrote, “I see the flowers, the roses, everywhere, like the stars in the sky…I hear the sound of rivers and waterfalls, like a melody and a song.”

Khalid displayed all the exuberance of a high school graduate anywhere in the world. He was looking toward the future with anticipation. In fact, many in the region are filled with anticipation, encouraged by U.S. statements of support for the two-state solution, a future where Israel and a Palestinian state will live together in peace and security. All eyes are now on Egypt where President Obama will deliver an important speech on June 4 about America's relations with the Muslim world. I am sure that Khalid will be listening.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/poetry_contest_palestinian_youth/ 2009-06-03T19:26:20+00:00 Interactive Travel Map | Text the Secretary

About the Author: Christina Higgins is the Assistant Information Officer at the U.S. Consulate General, Jerusalem.

I arrive early to make preparations for the Secretary’s joint press conference with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Abbas. As I enter the Ramallah PA Presidential compound, I quickly scan the press conference room for Mohamed. Meeting and getting to know people like Mohamed, the head of the Presidential Press Office, is one of the best parts of being a Foreign Service Officer. He is a kind professional and quick with a smile. He and I have worked on a lot of official visits together, and he invites me for a cup of tea in his office. We go over final preparations and chat about our families, knowing that soon this quiet will be taken over by the excitement of history in the making.

The Secretary’s motorcade pulls up and the door to press van one opens. The CBS camera crew piles out as I hustle them up to the stairway leading to the Presidential offices. The local camera crews join us and immediately the throng begins to push up the stairwell to get the “photo-spray” of Secretary Clinton’s first meeting with Palestinian Authority President Abbas. There is extra energy in the press corps today, as they jockey for position, and I am grateful when the head of Palestinian Authority protocol fishes me out of the throng. The Presidency is generous with the press and gives them an extra few minutes for filming. The cameras exit the meeting room, jeans-clad journalists balancing thousand dollar equipment on their shoulders commenting, “Good, really good. We got what we needed.” My adrenalin flow ebbs a bit, as I lead the camera crews down into the press conference room, and they settle into position to wait while the Secretary and President continue discussions upstairs. The trickiest part is behind me. I give Mohamed the “thumbs up,” and we agree that all is set for a successful press conference.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/thumbs_up/ 2009-03-05T15:00:45+00:00