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HRC Speeches 1/96 - 4/96: [3/29 Athens, Greece]
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1
Athens, Greece
3/29
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
March 29, 1996
REMARKS BY FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
AT THE ZAPPEION CONFERENCE CENTER
ATHENS, GREECE
MRS. CLINTON: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. President
Stephanopoulos, Mrs. Simitis, Ambassador Niles, and all of you
who are here with us: It is an honor to be in Athens, the
birthplace of so many values and institutions that inspired my
own country and continue to be cherished by all Americans today.
I greatly look forward to meeting with the President and Prime
Minister during my stay here, and I was honored to meet yesterday
with the Ecumenical Patriarch. I bring greetings to all of the
people of Greece from my husband, who also is looking forward to
meeting with the President and Prime Minister in the near future.
Although this is my first visit to Greece, I admire Athens
as the cradle of freedom, a city that has given the world its
greatest gift -- the gift of democracy. I feel especially lucky
that I could bring my daughter Chelsea with me on this trip and
give her the opportunity to experience the rich Hellenic
traditions that originated here.
A few hours ago I was at the Acropolis, feeling somewhat
overwhelmed -- as I'm sure most visitors do -- by its
extraordinary beauty and by the history and culture it
represents. Looking down the hill -- at some of the sites where
American students and scholars from more than 100 universities
help each year to uncover the richness of Athenian culture -- I
was imagining what ancient Athenian life was like: the people
streaming into the market to buy pears and grapes and honey, the
cobblers and sculptors making and selling their wares, the jurors
assembled for court, and the senators taking their places in the
legislature.
And I was remembering the words of Pericles in his famous
funeral oration of 431 B.C., when he talked about the values of
democratic society.
"We have a form of government," he said, "that does not try
to imitate the laws of our neighboring states. We are more an
example to others, than they to us. In a name, it is called
democracy, because it is managed not for a few people, but for
the majority."
1
Those words uttered nearly 2,500 years ago helped unite
Athenians in a community of high ideals and aspirations. They
spawned one of the greatest experiments in politics and
government. And they gave rise to the most successful and
enduring civilizations our world has ever known.
Greek architecture became the standard of beauty and
elegance for the Western world.
Greek poetry and drama became the measures by which to judge
all others.
Greek philosophy became the wellspring of Western values and
ideas.
Greek concepts of medicine, first laid out in the works and
oath of Hippocrates, provided the foundation for the practice of
medicine today.
Greek law gave us the tenets of our modern system of
justice.
Greek education gave us a tradition of schooling in the
liberal arts and even the names of our places of learning, from
the Academy to the Lyceum.
Greek orators gave us the art of public discourse. And the
Athenian structure of government gave us a model that any student
of democracy would recognize today.
Indeed, there is hardly any aspect of modern life that has
not been influenced by classical antiquity. Democracy demanded
and depended upon the creative expression and vision of
individual citizens. And ancient Greece provided the environment
in which those citizens could flourish.
Today, democracy remains our best hope for peace and
prosperity around the world, particularly during this time of
rapid global transformation.
Now more than ever we need to be reminded of the lessons and
legacy of those early Greek democrats.
A few days ago, I was in Bosnia visiting American troops in
Tuzla who, along with soldiers from many other nations, including
Greece, are part of NATO's peacekeeping mission. There, I saw
what happens to a society when the democratic ideal is lost --
when people lose their sense of common humanity, when they are
denied their rights as citizens to express their opinions and
practice religion freely, when tolerance, civility and respect
give way to repression, hatred, and violence.
2
Our troops - and yours -- along with many individuals and
non-governmental organizations are working hard in the former
Yugoslavia not just to enforce a lasting peace, but to help the
people of that war-torn land build a multi-ethnic,
multi-religious democracy.
It won't happen overnight. Nor can we expect it to. As both
the Greek and American people know, democracy takes a lot of
work. It has its imperfections, but it remains the most
equitable, just and productive system of government ever devised.
I believe that every democratic nation must participate in
spreading the fruits of democracy and peace. But that can only be
accomplished if every nation commits itself to policies that
promote economic stability, religious and social harmony, human
rights, a healthy and educated population, a free and open system
of justice and a political process that does not exclude any
person because of gender, ethnic origin, race, religion, or
station in life.
It is especially appropriate to raise this issue here, where
democracy began. Pericles described the ancient Greeks as "the
only people who think that one who does not meddle in state
affairs is not indolent but a good-for-nothing."
The vigorous tradition of public discourse and political
awareness that began in early Athens lives on today in the coffee
houses, kiosks and tavernas of every city and village in Greece.
In fact, there is probably nowhere else in the world where so
many people are discussing, exploring, and arguing about the
important issues of the day.
Democracy cannot succeed without the participation of all of
its citizens -- men and women. Clearly our two nations have come
closer than most to fulfilling that ideal. But we still have not
achieved it.
Here and in the United States -- and around the globe -- we
see too many people who remain on the margins of society. We see
children who are hungry, unhealthy, unschooled, and unloved. We
see women who are denied access to what I call the tools of
opportunity -- health care, education, jobs, credit, legal
protections and political rights -- that they need to become
equal partners in society.
While profound economic and political change has created
unprecedented opportunities for global peace and prosperity, it
also has inflamed old tensions and weighed us down with new ones.
The challenges of poverty and illiteracy continue to
undermine the potential of hundreds of millions of people, the
majority of them women and children.
3
These are ancient challenges, but thy are compounded today
by the stresses inherent in a highly competitive, fast-paced
world.
While the Information Age enables us to communicate more
quickly and understand each other better, it also widens the gap
between those who have the skills to compete in the new global
economy and those who do not. Most often, those without the
skills are women, and they will lag farther and farther behind.
If consumerism is the primary message picked up in
households around the world, the explosion of material
expectations will put additional demands on institutions ranging
from the family to the government. Those expectations are not
likely to be realized quickly or fully.
So the question we must answer is: How do we create
conditions that allow for the full participation of all citizens
and a strengthening of our democratic way of life? I believe it
begins with the most basic unit of society: the family. It begins
with what we teach our children about their obligations to each
other and to the larger community.
At the moment, no country does enough to invest in its
children or families. I know that in Greece, children come first.
Yet even here, children and families increasingly feel the
pressures of modern society -- from domestic violence, to
substance abuse, to the economic dislocations that result from
competing budget demands and shrinking resources.
To build a strong society, children and family must be the
core of national life. And that means that every segment of
society -- government, business, and individual citizens -- must
work together to ensure that children are educated, healthy,
properly fed and clothed, protected from violence and invested
with the love, attention and discipline they need to become
productive adults.
It also means that government, businesses and individual
citizens must come together to help women realize their God-given
potential. Women care for most of the world's children and most
of the world's elderly. They do much of the world's work. And
what we have seen in country after country over the last decade
is that improving conditions for women -- investing in them --
not only helps women, it helps their children, families,
communities and nations.
I know, from having spent time with many Americans of Greek
descent, that Greeks never forget their family roots. Whether it
is a big city like Athens or a village in the countryside, Greeks
always seem to know where they came from, no matter how far they
venture forth.
4
Like Odysseus, when they left these shores they navigated a
world filled with risks, temptations and challenges. Like
Odysseus, they survived by their ability to change, adapt and
transform. Like Odysseus, they showed the world how resourceful
people can be if they are willing to work together. And like
Odysseus, they always persevered, even in the face of obstacles
and setbacks.
Just look at the many Greek-Americans who have contributed
so much to my country, and who offer reminders every day about
the importance of hard work, family, and the responsibilities and
opportunities of citizenship.
The ideals we have borrowed from the early Greeks never die.
As we are pulled to the future, we continue to be propelled by
the past.
Tomorrow, I will have the great privilege of going to
Olympia for the ceremony marking the lighting of the Olympic
flame.
The ancient Games were not just a celebration of excellence
in sport; they were about the regeneration of life. They were
about the promise of youth, and about our ideal of the future.
Like democracy, the Olympics speak to the enduring strength
of Greek civilization. When the torch is lit tomorrow, it will
once again rekindle all of the hopes and aspirations of
democracy, humanity and the family of nations to which we all
belong. For that, we all owe you a great debt of gratitude.
Thank you very much.
###
5
FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
PREPARED REMARKS FOR THE ZAPPEION CONFERENCE CENTER
ATHENS, GREECE
MARCH 29, 1996
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
President Stephanopoulos, Mrs. Simitis [See-MEE-tees],
Ambassador Niles, and all of you who are here with us: It is an
honor to be in Athens, the birthplace of so many values and
institutions that inspired my own country and continue to be
cherished by all Americans today. I greatly look forward to
meeting with the President and Prime Minister during my stay
here, and I was honored to meet yesterday with the Ecumenical
Patriarch. I bring greetings to all of the people of Greece from
my husband, who also is looking forward to meeting with the
President and Prime Minister in the near future.
Although this is my first visit to Greece, I admire Athens
as the cradle of freedom, a city that has given the world its
greatest gift - - the gift of democracy. I feel especially lucky
that I could bring my daughter Chelsea with me on this trip and
give her the opportunity to experience the rich Hellenic
traditions that originated here.
A few hours ago I was at the Acropolis, feeling somewhat
overwhelmed -- as I'm sure most visitors do - - by its
extraordinary beauty and by the history and culture it
represents. Looking down the hill -- at some of the sites where
American students and scholars from more than 100 universities
help each year to uncover the richness of Athenian culture - - I
was imagining what ancient Athenian life was like: the people
streaming into the market to buy pears and grapes and honey, the
cobblers and sculptors making and selling their wares, the jurors
assembled for court, and the senators taking their places in the
legislature.
And I was remembering the words of Pericles in his famous
funeral oration of 431 B.C., when he talked about the values of
democratic society.
"We have a form of government," he said, "that does not try
to imitate the laws of our neighboring states. We are more an
example to others, than they to us. In a name, it is called
democracy, because it is managed not for a few people, but for
the majority."
Those words uttered nearly 2,500 years ago helped unite
Athenians in a community of high ideals and aspirations. They
1
spawned one of the greatest experiments in politics and
government. And they gave rise to the most successful and
enduring civilizations our world has ever known.
Greek architecture became the standard of beauty and
elegance for the Western world.
Greek poetry and drama became the measures by which to judge
all others.
Greek philosophy became the wellspring of Western values and
ideas.
Greek concepts of medicine, first laid out in the works and
oath of Hippocrates, provided the foundation for the practice of
medicine today.
Greek law gave us the tenets of our modern system of
justice.
Greek education gave us a tradition of schooling in the
liberal arts and even the names of our places of learning, from
the Academy to the Lyceum.
Greek orators gave us the art of public discourse. And the
Athenian structure of government gave us a model that any student
of democracy would recognize today.
Indeed, there is hardly any aspect of modern life that has
not been influenced by classical antiquity. Democracy demanded
and depended upon the creative expression and vision of
individual citizens. And ancient Greece provided the environment
in which those citizens could flourish.
Today, democracy remains our best hope for peace and
prosperity around the world, particularly during this time of
rapid global transformation.
Now more than ever we need to be reminded of the lessons and
legacy of those early Greek democrats.
A few days ago, I was in Bosnia visiting American troops in
Tuzla who, along with soldiers from many other nations, including
Greece, are part of NATO's peacekeeping mission. There, I saw
what happens to a society when the democratic ideal is lost
when people lose their sense of common humanity, when they are
denied their rights as citizens to express their opinions and
practice religion freely, when tolerance, civility and respect
give way to repression, hatred, and violence.
Our troops - and yours along with many individuals and
non-governmental organizations are working hard in the former
2
Yugoslavia not just to enforce a lasting peace, but to help the
people of that war-torn land build a multi-ethnic, multi-
religious democracy.
It won't happen overnight. Nor can we expect it to. As both
the Greek and American people know, democracy takes a lot of
work. It has its imperfections, but it remains the most
equitable, just and productive system of government ever devised.
I believe that every democratic nation must participate in
spreading the fruits of democracy and peace. But that can only be
accomplished if every nation commits itself to policies that
promote economic stability, religious and social harmony, human
rights, a healthy and educated population, a free and open system
of justice and a political process that does not exclude any
person because of gender, ethnic origin, race, religion, or
station in life.
It is especially appropriate to raise this issue here, where
democracy began. Pericles described the ancient Greeks as "the
only people who think that one who does not meddle in state
affairs is not indolent but a good-for-nothing."
The vigorous tradition of public discourse and political
awareness that began in early Athens lives on today in the coffee
houses, kiosks and tavernas of every city and village in Greece.
In fact, there is probably nowhere else in the world where so
many people are discussing, exploring, and arguing about the
important issues of the day.
Democracy cannot succeed without the participation of all of
its citizens -- men and women. Clearly our two nations have come
closer than most to fulfilling that ideal. But we still have not
achieved it.
Here and in the United States and around the globe we
see too many people who remain on the margins of society. We see
children who are hungry, unhealthy, unschooled, and unloved. We
see women who are denied access to what I call the tools of
opportunity health care, education, jobs, credit, legal
protections and political rights that they need to become
equal partners in society.
While profound economic and political change has created
unprecedented opportunities for global peace and prosperity, it
also has inflamed old tensions and weighed us down with new ones.
The challenges of poverty and illiteracy continue to
undermine the potential of hundreds of millions of people, the
majority of them women and children.
These are ancient challenges, but they are compounded today
3
by the stresses inherent in a highly competitive, fast-paced
world.
While the Information Age enables us to communicate more
quickly and understand each other better, it also widens the gap
between those who have the skills to compete in the new global
economy and those who do not. Most often, those without the
skills are women, and they will lag farther and farther behind.
If consumerism is the primary message picked up in
households around the world, the explosion of material
expectations will put additional demands on institutions ranging
from the family to the government. Those expectations are not
likely to be realized quickly or fully.
So the question we must answer is: How do we create
conditions that allow for the full participation of all citizens
and a strengthening of our democratic way of life? I believe it
begins with the most basic unit of society: the family. It begins
with what we teach our children about their obligations to each
other and to the larger community.
At the moment, no country does enough to invest in its
children or families. I know that in Greece, children come first.
Yet even here, children and families increasingly feel the
pressures of modern society - - from domestic violence, to
substance abuse, to the economic dislocations that result from
competing budget demands and shrinking resources.
To build a strong society, children and family must be the
core of national life. And that means that every segment of
society government, business, and individual citizens must
work together to ensure that children are educated, healthy,
properly fed and clothed, protected from violence and invested
with the love, attention and discipline they need to become
productive adults.
It also means that government, businesses and individual
citizens must come together to help women realize their God-given
potential. Women care for most of the world's children and most
of the world's elderly. They do much of the world's work. And
what we have seen in country after country over the last decade
is that improving conditions for women investing in them
not only helps women, it helps their children, families,
communities and nations.
I know, from having spent time with many Americans of Greek
descent, that Greeks never forget their family roots. Whether it
is a big city like Athens or a village in the countryside, Greeks
always seem to know where they came from, no matter how far they
venture forth.
4
Like Odysseus, when they left these shores they navigated a
world filled with risks, temptations and challenges. Like
Odysseus, they survived by their ability to change, adapt and
transform. Like Odysseus, they showed the world how resourceful
people can be if they are willing to work together. And like
Odysseus, they always persevered, even in the face of obstacles
and setbacks.
Just look at the many Greek-Americans who have contributed
so much to my country, and who offer reminders every day about
the importance of hard work, family, and the responsibilities and
opportunities of citizenship.
The ideals we have borrowed from the early Greeks never die.
As we are pulled to the future, we continue to be propelled by
the past.
Tomorrow, I will have the great privilege of going to
Olympia for the ceremony marking the lighting of the Olympic
flame.
The ancient Games were not just a celebration of excellence
in sport; they were about the regeneration of life. They were
about the promise of youth, and about our ideal of the future.
Like democracy, the Olympics speak to the enduring strength
of Greek civilization. When the torch is lit tomorrow, it will
once again rekindle all of the hopes and aspirations of
democracy, humanity and the family of nations to which we all
belong. For that, we all owe you a great debt of gratitude.
Thank you very much.
###
5
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"ocrText": "FOIA Number:\n2006-1733-F\nFOIA\nMARKER\nThis is not a textual record. This is used as an\nadministrative marker by the William J. Clinton\nPresidential Library Staff.\nCollection/Record Group:\nClinton Presidential Records\nSubgroup/Office of Origin:\nFirst Lady's Office\nSeries/Staff Member:\nSpeechwriting\nSubseries:\nLaura Schiller: HRC Speeches 9/95 - 11/96, Clinton/Gore Speeches 1996\nOA/ID Number:\n24622\nFolderID:\nFolder Title:\nHRC Speeches 1/96 - 4/96: [3/29 Athens, Greece]\nStack:\nRow:\nSection:\nShelf:\nPosition:\nS\n61\n2\n4\n1\nAthens, Greece\n3/29\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nOffice of the Press Secretary\nFor Immediate Release\nMarch 29, 1996\nREMARKS BY FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON\nAT THE ZAPPEION CONFERENCE CENTER\nATHENS, GREECE\nMRS. CLINTON: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. President\nStephanopoulos, Mrs. Simitis, Ambassador Niles, and all of you\nwho are here with us: It is an honor to be in Athens, the\nbirthplace of so many values and institutions that inspired my\nown country and continue to be cherished by all Americans today.\nI greatly look forward to meeting with the President and Prime\nMinister during my stay here, and I was honored to meet yesterday\nwith the Ecumenical Patriarch. I bring greetings to all of the\npeople of Greece from my husband, who also is looking forward to\nmeeting with the President and Prime Minister in the near future.\nAlthough this is my first visit to Greece, I admire Athens\nas the cradle of freedom, a city that has given the world its\ngreatest gift -- the gift of democracy. I feel especially lucky\nthat I could bring my daughter Chelsea with me on this trip and\ngive her the opportunity to experience the rich Hellenic\ntraditions that originated here.\nA few hours ago I was at the Acropolis, feeling somewhat\noverwhelmed -- as I'm sure most visitors do -- by its\nextraordinary beauty and by the history and culture it\nrepresents. Looking down the hill -- at some of the sites where\nAmerican students and scholars from more than 100 universities\nhelp each year to uncover the richness of Athenian culture -- I\nwas imagining what ancient Athenian life was like: the people\nstreaming into the market to buy pears and grapes and honey, the\ncobblers and sculptors making and selling their wares, the jurors\nassembled for court, and the senators taking their places in the\nlegislature.\nAnd I was remembering the words of Pericles in his famous\nfuneral oration of 431 B.C., when he talked about the values of\ndemocratic society.\n\"We have a form of government,\" he said, \"that does not try\nto imitate the laws of our neighboring states. We are more an\nexample to others, than they to us. In a name, it is called\ndemocracy, because it is managed not for a few people, but for\nthe majority.\"\n1\nThose words uttered nearly 2,500 years ago helped unite\nAthenians in a community of high ideals and aspirations. They\nspawned one of the greatest experiments in politics and\ngovernment. And they gave rise to the most successful and\nenduring civilizations our world has ever known.\nGreek architecture became the standard of beauty and\nelegance for the Western world.\nGreek poetry and drama became the measures by which to judge\nall others.\nGreek philosophy became the wellspring of Western values and\nideas.\nGreek concepts of medicine, first laid out in the works and\noath of Hippocrates, provided the foundation for the practice of\nmedicine today.\nGreek law gave us the tenets of our modern system of\njustice.\nGreek education gave us a tradition of schooling in the\nliberal arts and even the names of our places of learning, from\nthe Academy to the Lyceum.\nGreek orators gave us the art of public discourse. And the\nAthenian structure of government gave us a model that any student\nof democracy would recognize today.\nIndeed, there is hardly any aspect of modern life that has\nnot been influenced by classical antiquity. Democracy demanded\nand depended upon the creative expression and vision of\nindividual citizens. And ancient Greece provided the environment\nin which those citizens could flourish.\nToday, democracy remains our best hope for peace and\nprosperity around the world, particularly during this time of\nrapid global transformation.\nNow more than ever we need to be reminded of the lessons and\nlegacy of those early Greek democrats.\nA few days ago, I was in Bosnia visiting American troops in\nTuzla who, along with soldiers from many other nations, including\nGreece, are part of NATO's peacekeeping mission. There, I saw\nwhat happens to a society when the democratic ideal is lost --\nwhen people lose their sense of common humanity, when they are\ndenied their rights as citizens to express their opinions and\npractice religion freely, when tolerance, civility and respect\ngive way to repression, hatred, and violence.\n2\nOur troops - and yours -- along with many individuals and\nnon-governmental organizations are working hard in the former\nYugoslavia not just to enforce a lasting peace, but to help the\npeople of that war-torn land build a multi-ethnic,\nmulti-religious democracy.\nIt won't happen overnight. Nor can we expect it to. As both\nthe Greek and American people know, democracy takes a lot of\nwork. It has its imperfections, but it remains the most\nequitable, just and productive system of government ever devised.\nI believe that every democratic nation must participate in\nspreading the fruits of democracy and peace. But that can only be\naccomplished if every nation commits itself to policies that\npromote economic stability, religious and social harmony, human\nrights, a healthy and educated population, a free and open system\nof justice and a political process that does not exclude any\nperson because of gender, ethnic origin, race, religion, or\nstation in life.\nIt is especially appropriate to raise this issue here, where\ndemocracy began. Pericles described the ancient Greeks as \"the\nonly people who think that one who does not meddle in state\naffairs is not indolent but a good-for-nothing.\"\nThe vigorous tradition of public discourse and political\nawareness that began in early Athens lives on today in the coffee\nhouses, kiosks and tavernas of every city and village in Greece.\nIn fact, there is probably nowhere else in the world where so\nmany people are discussing, exploring, and arguing about the\nimportant issues of the day.\nDemocracy cannot succeed without the participation of all of\nits citizens -- men and women. Clearly our two nations have come\ncloser than most to fulfilling that ideal. But we still have not\nachieved it.\nHere and in the United States -- and around the globe -- we\nsee too many people who remain on the margins of society. We see\nchildren who are hungry, unhealthy, unschooled, and unloved. We\nsee women who are denied access to what I call the tools of\nopportunity -- health care, education, jobs, credit, legal\nprotections and political rights -- that they need to become\nequal partners in society.\nWhile profound economic and political change has created\nunprecedented opportunities for global peace and prosperity, it\nalso has inflamed old tensions and weighed us down with new ones.\nThe challenges of poverty and illiteracy continue to\nundermine the potential of hundreds of millions of people, the\nmajority of them women and children.\n3\nThese are ancient challenges, but thy are compounded today\nby the stresses inherent in a highly competitive, fast-paced\nworld.\nWhile the Information Age enables us to communicate more\nquickly and understand each other better, it also widens the gap\nbetween those who have the skills to compete in the new global\neconomy and those who do not. Most often, those without the\nskills are women, and they will lag farther and farther behind.\nIf consumerism is the primary message picked up in\nhouseholds around the world, the explosion of material\nexpectations will put additional demands on institutions ranging\nfrom the family to the government. Those expectations are not\nlikely to be realized quickly or fully.\nSo the question we must answer is: How do we create\nconditions that allow for the full participation of all citizens\nand a strengthening of our democratic way of life? I believe it\nbegins with the most basic unit of society: the family. It begins\nwith what we teach our children about their obligations to each\nother and to the larger community.\nAt the moment, no country does enough to invest in its\nchildren or families. I know that in Greece, children come first.\nYet even here, children and families increasingly feel the\npressures of modern society -- from domestic violence, to\nsubstance abuse, to the economic dislocations that result from\ncompeting budget demands and shrinking resources.\nTo build a strong society, children and family must be the\ncore of national life. And that means that every segment of\nsociety -- government, business, and individual citizens -- must\nwork together to ensure that children are educated, healthy,\nproperly fed and clothed, protected from violence and invested\nwith the love, attention and discipline they need to become\nproductive adults.\nIt also means that government, businesses and individual\ncitizens must come together to help women realize their God-given\npotential. Women care for most of the world's children and most\nof the world's elderly. They do much of the world's work. And\nwhat we have seen in country after country over the last decade\nis that improving conditions for women -- investing in them --\nnot only helps women, it helps their children, families,\ncommunities and nations.\nI know, from having spent time with many Americans of Greek\ndescent, that Greeks never forget their family roots. Whether it\nis a big city like Athens or a village in the countryside, Greeks\nalways seem to know where they came from, no matter how far they\nventure forth.\n4\nLike Odysseus, when they left these shores they navigated a\nworld filled with risks, temptations and challenges. Like\nOdysseus, they survived by their ability to change, adapt and\ntransform. Like Odysseus, they showed the world how resourceful\npeople can be if they are willing to work together. And like\nOdysseus, they always persevered, even in the face of obstacles\nand setbacks.\nJust look at the many Greek-Americans who have contributed\nso much to my country, and who offer reminders every day about\nthe importance of hard work, family, and the responsibilities and\nopportunities of citizenship.\nThe ideals we have borrowed from the early Greeks never die.\nAs we are pulled to the future, we continue to be propelled by\nthe past.\nTomorrow, I will have the great privilege of going to\nOlympia for the ceremony marking the lighting of the Olympic\nflame.\nThe ancient Games were not just a celebration of excellence\nin sport; they were about the regeneration of life. They were\nabout the promise of youth, and about our ideal of the future.\nLike democracy, the Olympics speak to the enduring strength\nof Greek civilization. When the torch is lit tomorrow, it will\nonce again rekindle all of the hopes and aspirations of\ndemocracy, humanity and the family of nations to which we all\nbelong. For that, we all owe you a great debt of gratitude.\nThank you very much.\n###\n5\nFIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON\nPREPARED REMARKS FOR THE ZAPPEION CONFERENCE CENTER\nATHENS, GREECE\nMARCH 29, 1996\nThank you, Mr. Mayor.\nPresident Stephanopoulos, Mrs. Simitis [See-MEE-tees],\nAmbassador Niles, and all of you who are here with us: It is an\nhonor to be in Athens, the birthplace of so many values and\ninstitutions that inspired my own country and continue to be\ncherished by all Americans today. I greatly look forward to\nmeeting with the President and Prime Minister during my stay\nhere, and I was honored to meet yesterday with the Ecumenical\nPatriarch. I bring greetings to all of the people of Greece from\nmy husband, who also is looking forward to meeting with the\nPresident and Prime Minister in the near future.\nAlthough this is my first visit to Greece, I admire Athens\nas the cradle of freedom, a city that has given the world its\ngreatest gift - - the gift of democracy. I feel especially lucky\nthat I could bring my daughter Chelsea with me on this trip and\ngive her the opportunity to experience the rich Hellenic\ntraditions that originated here.\nA few hours ago I was at the Acropolis, feeling somewhat\noverwhelmed -- as I'm sure most visitors do - - by its\nextraordinary beauty and by the history and culture it\nrepresents. Looking down the hill -- at some of the sites where\nAmerican students and scholars from more than 100 universities\nhelp each year to uncover the richness of Athenian culture - - I\nwas imagining what ancient Athenian life was like: the people\nstreaming into the market to buy pears and grapes and honey, the\ncobblers and sculptors making and selling their wares, the jurors\nassembled for court, and the senators taking their places in the\nlegislature.\nAnd I was remembering the words of Pericles in his famous\nfuneral oration of 431 B.C., when he talked about the values of\ndemocratic society.\n\"We have a form of government,\" he said, \"that does not try\nto imitate the laws of our neighboring states. We are more an\nexample to others, than they to us. In a name, it is called\ndemocracy, because it is managed not for a few people, but for\nthe majority.\"\nThose words uttered nearly 2,500 years ago helped unite\nAthenians in a community of high ideals and aspirations. They\n1\nspawned one of the greatest experiments in politics and\ngovernment. And they gave rise to the most successful and\nenduring civilizations our world has ever known.\nGreek architecture became the standard of beauty and\nelegance for the Western world.\nGreek poetry and drama became the measures by which to judge\nall others.\nGreek philosophy became the wellspring of Western values and\nideas.\nGreek concepts of medicine, first laid out in the works and\noath of Hippocrates, provided the foundation for the practice of\nmedicine today.\nGreek law gave us the tenets of our modern system of\njustice.\nGreek education gave us a tradition of schooling in the\nliberal arts and even the names of our places of learning, from\nthe Academy to the Lyceum.\nGreek orators gave us the art of public discourse. And the\nAthenian structure of government gave us a model that any student\nof democracy would recognize today.\nIndeed, there is hardly any aspect of modern life that has\nnot been influenced by classical antiquity. Democracy demanded\nand depended upon the creative expression and vision of\nindividual citizens. And ancient Greece provided the environment\nin which those citizens could flourish.\nToday, democracy remains our best hope for peace and\nprosperity around the world, particularly during this time of\nrapid global transformation.\nNow more than ever we need to be reminded of the lessons and\nlegacy of those early Greek democrats.\nA few days ago, I was in Bosnia visiting American troops in\nTuzla who, along with soldiers from many other nations, including\nGreece, are part of NATO's peacekeeping mission. There, I saw\nwhat happens to a society when the democratic ideal is lost\nwhen people lose their sense of common humanity, when they are\ndenied their rights as citizens to express their opinions and\npractice religion freely, when tolerance, civility and respect\ngive way to repression, hatred, and violence.\nOur troops - and yours along with many individuals and\nnon-governmental organizations are working hard in the former\n2\nYugoslavia not just to enforce a lasting peace, but to help the\npeople of that war-torn land build a multi-ethnic, multi-\nreligious democracy.\nIt won't happen overnight. Nor can we expect it to. As both\nthe Greek and American people know, democracy takes a lot of\nwork. It has its imperfections, but it remains the most\nequitable, just and productive system of government ever devised.\nI believe that every democratic nation must participate in\nspreading the fruits of democracy and peace. But that can only be\naccomplished if every nation commits itself to policies that\npromote economic stability, religious and social harmony, human\nrights, a healthy and educated population, a free and open system\nof justice and a political process that does not exclude any\nperson because of gender, ethnic origin, race, religion, or\nstation in life.\nIt is especially appropriate to raise this issue here, where\ndemocracy began. Pericles described the ancient Greeks as \"the\nonly people who think that one who does not meddle in state\naffairs is not indolent but a good-for-nothing.\"\nThe vigorous tradition of public discourse and political\nawareness that began in early Athens lives on today in the coffee\nhouses, kiosks and tavernas of every city and village in Greece.\nIn fact, there is probably nowhere else in the world where so\nmany people are discussing, exploring, and arguing about the\nimportant issues of the day.\nDemocracy cannot succeed without the participation of all of\nits citizens -- men and women. Clearly our two nations have come\ncloser than most to fulfilling that ideal. But we still have not\nachieved it.\nHere and in the United States and around the globe we\nsee too many people who remain on the margins of society. We see\nchildren who are hungry, unhealthy, unschooled, and unloved. We\nsee women who are denied access to what I call the tools of\nopportunity health care, education, jobs, credit, legal\nprotections and political rights that they need to become\nequal partners in society.\nWhile profound economic and political change has created\nunprecedented opportunities for global peace and prosperity, it\nalso has inflamed old tensions and weighed us down with new ones.\nThe challenges of poverty and illiteracy continue to\nundermine the potential of hundreds of millions of people, the\nmajority of them women and children.\nThese are ancient challenges, but they are compounded today\n3\nby the stresses inherent in a highly competitive, fast-paced\nworld.\nWhile the Information Age enables us to communicate more\nquickly and understand each other better, it also widens the gap\nbetween those who have the skills to compete in the new global\neconomy and those who do not. Most often, those without the\nskills are women, and they will lag farther and farther behind.\nIf consumerism is the primary message picked up in\nhouseholds around the world, the explosion of material\nexpectations will put additional demands on institutions ranging\nfrom the family to the government. Those expectations are not\nlikely to be realized quickly or fully.\nSo the question we must answer is: How do we create\nconditions that allow for the full participation of all citizens\nand a strengthening of our democratic way of life? I believe it\nbegins with the most basic unit of society: the family. It begins\nwith what we teach our children about their obligations to each\nother and to the larger community.\nAt the moment, no country does enough to invest in its\nchildren or families. I know that in Greece, children come first.\nYet even here, children and families increasingly feel the\npressures of modern society - - from domestic violence, to\nsubstance abuse, to the economic dislocations that result from\ncompeting budget demands and shrinking resources.\nTo build a strong society, children and family must be the\ncore of national life. And that means that every segment of\nsociety government, business, and individual citizens must\nwork together to ensure that children are educated, healthy,\nproperly fed and clothed, protected from violence and invested\nwith the love, attention and discipline they need to become\nproductive adults.\nIt also means that government, businesses and individual\ncitizens must come together to help women realize their God-given\npotential. Women care for most of the world's children and most\nof the world's elderly. They do much of the world's work. And\nwhat we have seen in country after country over the last decade\nis that improving conditions for women investing in them\nnot only helps women, it helps their children, families,\ncommunities and nations.\nI know, from having spent time with many Americans of Greek\ndescent, that Greeks never forget their family roots. Whether it\nis a big city like Athens or a village in the countryside, Greeks\nalways seem to know where they came from, no matter how far they\nventure forth.\n4\nLike Odysseus, when they left these shores they navigated a\nworld filled with risks, temptations and challenges. Like\nOdysseus, they survived by their ability to change, adapt and\ntransform. Like Odysseus, they showed the world how resourceful\npeople can be if they are willing to work together. And like\nOdysseus, they always persevered, even in the face of obstacles\nand setbacks.\nJust look at the many Greek-Americans who have contributed\nso much to my country, and who offer reminders every day about\nthe importance of hard work, family, and the responsibilities and\nopportunities of citizenship.\nThe ideals we have borrowed from the early Greeks never die.\nAs we are pulled to the future, we continue to be propelled by\nthe past.\nTomorrow, I will have the great privilege of going to\nOlympia for the ceremony marking the lighting of the Olympic\nflame.\nThe ancient Games were not just a celebration of excellence\nin sport; they were about the regeneration of life. They were\nabout the promise of youth, and about our ideal of the future.\nLike democracy, the Olympics speak to the enduring strength\nof Greek civilization. When the torch is lit tomorrow, it will\nonce again rekindle all of the hopes and aspirations of\ndemocracy, humanity and the family of nations to which we all\nbelong. For that, we all owe you a great debt of gratitude.\nThank you very much.\n###\n5"
}