Ambassador Robertson addresses the guests of Independence Day reception

Ljubljana, Slovenia
July 3, 2006

Ministers, Members of Parliament and the Judiciary, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,

Antoinette and I are pleased to welcome such a wonderful and large group this evening.  Like Slovenians, we Americans celebrate this year a special anniversary of our nation, 230 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted.  It set forth “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as the unalienable rights of all individuals.  To be sure, if you look at John Trumbull’s painting on your invitation, you will notice a few things:  the United States owes a lot to Europe:  there are 48 white European men there who signed the declaration. At the same time, where are the women, the African Americans, the Native Americans (our Indians) and others?  Indeed, there was still work to be done to assure that all Americans enjoyed the full rights of their male European founders.  But their wise words laid down the principles which made democracy and freedom for all possible.  The United States has been blessed to prosper over the last 230 years and grow into a country more diverse than the authors of the Declaration could have ever imagined.  

Indeed, democracy and freedom are works in progress.  Last week we celebrated the 15th anniversary of Slovenia’s independence.  Slovenia is a successful country.  You should be proud of all that you have accomplished at home.  But you have every reason to be proud also of your country’s engagement to help bring stability and make real the rights of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” to others in the world, whether it is victims of disaster in Pakistan or New Orleans or Darfur, or securing peace and stability in Afghanistan and Iraq, or closer to home in the Balkans.  Next week we shall celebrate Slovenia and its accomplishments when the Prime Minister visits the United States and meets our President and other members of our government and society. Thank you, Slovenians, for making a difference in the world.  You are true to your proverb, he who does nothing for others, does nothing for himself.

I owe another debt of gratitude – to all our terrific sponsors.  Their names are recognized both on your programs and on the sponsor boards.  Along with Teja Saksida’s beautiful singing of the anthems and the music of Big Band RTV Slovenia together with Oto Pestner and Western Jazz Quartet, our sponsors have provided for a very enjoyable evening.

Sadly, I must say farewell to a number of Embassy colleagues who are leaving this summer.  I would like to thank them for their service to our Embassy and our country, and to the strengthening of friendship between our countries.  We will miss them and their families.  They are Mike Carpenter, John and Ingrid Combs, Cuba and Gwen Edwards, Louis Delair, Scott and Jodi Fredericksen, Marion Leveskas, Caroline Mangelsdorf, John and Mariko Nylin, Amy and Kerry Robinson and Victoria Tunba.  Please say hello (and goodbye) to them when you see them tonight.