‘Why Can’t the Whole World Be Like Sesame Street?’ The Ninth Annual Mosaic Gala’s two first ladies, Honorary Chair Laura Bush and Queen Rania of Jordan, brought more pomp, more security and higher visibility for the Mosaic Foundation and this year’s major beneficiary, “Sesame Mosaic,” an Arab version of PBS’s award-winning and long-running children’s show “Sesame Street.” After being introduced by Luma Kawar, gala chair and wife of the Jordanian ambassador, Laura Bush told several stories of how as a young mother, she watched “Sesame Street” with her twin daughters Jenna and Barbara and has enjoyed being on the show in many of its different reincarnations around the world. “Once I was on ‘Sesame Street’ with Elmo teaching the letter ‘w,’” she recalled as the international crowd at the National Building Museum quieted. “I remember saying ‘wuba, wuba, woo.’” Even the stuffiest VIPs and international business executives roared with laughter. From then on,it was Elmo and the Cookie Monster’s night, along with their new Arab star from Cairo, Khokha. At one point, Jordanian pianist Zade and his orchestra of young musicians backed up Elmo and Khokha on several “Sesame Street” songs. Looking around the audience, you would have been surprised to see who was singing along! As Mrs. Bush thanked the Sesame Workshop for teaching so many to read, she emphasized the importance of increasing literacy around the world. She invited her audience to meet her in New York this September when she convenes a “Global Literary Program,” funded and supported by the State Department, USAID and UNESCO. “Widespread literacy isn’t a luxury,” this former librarian vowed. “It’s a necessity…. Sometimes literacy is a life or death situation. All mothers need to be able to read the labels on a can, the instructions on a bottle of medicine…. Literacy and freedom are inseparable.” Queen Rania of Jordan, the guest of honor and a mother of four, spoke next in her very straightforward and elegant way, first praising the Mosaic Foundation for taking “an inspiring role of lifting lives of women and children” globally and thanking Laura Bush for her “quiet grace” and efforts “to help children succeed not only here but all over the world.” Then she got personal. “My brother and sister and I were raised on ‘Sesame Street,’” she said. “It is hard to believe that one public television program has lasted for 30 years and affected so many people.” She added that “Sesame Street” has been very shrewd for “keeping up with the times” and evolving to teach children about AIDS in South Africa and, later this year, spotlighting India’s rich diversity to the children of that huge democracy. “‘Sesame Street’ teaches children the alphabet of life. It teaches them hope, respect and understanding of others. Why can’t we make the whole world work like Sesame Street?” Since 1998, the Mosaic Foundation—a charitable, educational and cultural organization, was founded by the spouses of 17 Arab ambassadors to the United States—has raised and donated $7.2 million to local, national and international institutions worldwide to improve the lives of women and children and help increase understanding of the Arab world in the United States. First Lady Laura Bush and Queen Rania of Jordan attend the Ninth Annual Mosaic Gala celebrating the Arab version of PBS’s “Sesame Street.” photo courtesy of the Embassy of Jordan

Vital Voices Celebrates Pioneers in Women’s Rights Speaking to a packed international audience in the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) led the tributes to emerging women leaders around the world during the moving 2006 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards Ceremony held on April 27. “This is an extraordinary organization of women expanding their voices,” said Sen. Clinton. “We’ve come a long way since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing 1995…. It seems obvious that with over 50 percent of our population being women, that women need to participate in jobs, in education, in ownership and in citizenship. Market economies cannot function without women. Nations cannot advance into the 21st century without educated women. Investing in women has a ripple effect because they teach their children.” Vital Voices Global Partnership—a nonprofit, bipartisan organization dedicated to improving the political, economic and social status of women worldwide—honored 11 outstanding women from Israel, Kuwait, Nigeria, Pakistan and Liberia for their courageous efforts to improve women’s and human rights. Pakistani Mukhtaran Bibi stood up for women’s rights after being gang-raped because her brother was seen holding hands with a woman from a higher caste. She went against the tradition of killing herself and instead reported the rape, wrote about it, and has begun programs for women. Nigerian Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first female minister of finance, convinced her country’s creditors to forgive $18 million of Nigeria’s national debt, a move that will increase the overall welfare of the country in many ways. Israeli Rita Chaikin exposed the high volume of human trafficking of women from the former Soviet Union into Israel and now heads up anti-trafficking projects in that country. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first elected female head of an African state, fought for women’s rights in her country and did not allow her own imprisonment or exile to keep her from her goal of becoming president. And seven distinguished professional Kuwaiti women led the 30-year struggle in their country for women’s voting rights, which they finally won last May, ushering in a new wave of political freedom in Kuwait. “A democracy with no women is skim milk,” said Lubna Al-Kazi, who spoke on behalf of the Kuwaiti awardees. “I am happy to tell you that it is full cream now.” The audience erupted into enthusiastic applause. “Vital Voices inspired us that if they can succeed, so can we … the different female politicians in the U.S., such as Sen. Clinton, give us hope.” Along with expanding women’s roles in politics and civil society, Vital Voices works to increase women’s economic independence and fights human rights abuses, especially trafficking of women and children. Actress Julia Ormond, the U.N. goodwill ambassador for the abolition of slavery and human trafficking presented, Israeli Rita Chaikin with the Vital Voices Human Rights and Anti-Trafficking Award, noting that “it is hard to believe that in the 21st century, 2.4 million women and children are trafficked each year.” Added Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas): “This evening is about women leaders and their contributions…. The benefits are undeniable. The world is a better place because these women were allowed to speak.” In 2001, Vital Voices Global Partnership in collaboration with Georgetown University created the Vital Voices Global Leadership Institute to provide emerging women leaders around the world with the skills and opportunities they need to participate in all sectors of their societies. Vital Voices has trained more than 4,000 women leaders from 50 countries to be more effective leaders in public life and civil society. For more information, visit www.vitalvoices.org. (Top photo) From left, the Kuwaiti award recipients at the 2006 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards Ceremony were Dr. Lubna Al-Qazi, Dr. Nouriya Al-Soudani, Fatma Hussein, Loulwa Al-Mulla, Kuwaiti Ambassador Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, his wife Rima Al-Sabah, Loulwa Al-Qattami, Ghada Al-Khalifa, and Roula Al-Dashri. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), left, talks with actress Julia Ormond at the 2006 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards Ceremony. (On the front page) From left, award recipient Rita Chaikin talks with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) at the 2006 Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards Ceremony. photos courtesy of Sarah Strathairn EU Ambassadors Go Back to School European ambassadors went back to school to celebrate Europe Day on May 9 by becoming substitute teachers at schools in the District, Maryland and Virginia. The holiday marks the historic day in 1950 when French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman called on France, Germany and other countries to pool together their coal and steel production as the first concrete foundation of a European federation. The Schumann declaration served as a model for achieving economic integration and stability in Western Europe and was the first step toward the creation of what we now know as the European Union. Since the creation of the EU a half-century ago, Europe has enjoyed the longest period of peace and prosperity in its history. European Union Ambassador John Bruton was joined by colleagues from 25 embassies who taught students about the European Union at 26 public and private area schools. They also provided classroom materials for both teachers and students, including maps of the European Union’s 25 member states, historical posters and interactive resources. Although most of the ambassadors taught on Europe Day itself, this classroom experiment will continue through May 15. For more information about the school visits or to learn more about cultural and other events celebrating Europe Day, please visit www.eurunion.org.welcome/europeday.htm. European Union Ambassador John Bruton teaches a 10th-grade class at Woodrow Wilson High School. photo courtesy of the European Commission in Washington (On the front page)German Ambassador stands with students at Springbrook High School. photo courtesy of the Embassy of Germany

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