Secretary of State John Kerry touches on multiple topics including "Deepening People-to-People Ties" in his Cabinet Exit Memo to President Obama

Secretary Kerry's Cabinet Exit Memo available here

John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State, remarks at the Airbnb Luncheon for the U.S. Department of State's Gilman Scholarship Program

United States Institute for Peace

Washington, DC

September 12, 2016

Text of Secretary Kerry's remarks are available at:

http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/09/261768.htm

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Delivers a Video Message for the 75th Anniversary of Exchange Programs

Secretary of State John Kerry's remarks on 100,000 Strong in the Americas at the Department of State (January 17, 2014)

Full text and photos from the event are also available.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on the Impact that Violence in the United States has on Prospective International Students

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on the Fulbright Program and International Leaders who Studied in the United States

Full text available on the U.S. State Department of State website.

Secretary of State John Kerry Highlights International Exchange Programs During his First Official Speech

In his first official speech at the University of Virginia on Wednesday, February 20th, Secretary of State John Kerry highlighted international exchanges and stated:

We value education, promoting programs like the Fulbright exchanges managed by the Department of State. They enable the most talented citizens to share their devotion to diplomacy and peace, their hopes, their friendships, and the belief that all of the Earth’s sons and daughters ought to have the opportunity to lift themselves up. Today these exchanges bring hundreds of thousands of students to America from other countries, and vice versa. In the last year alone, more than 10,000 citizens of foreign countries participated in the State Department’s academic, youth, professional and cultural exchange programs right here in Virginia. Virginians also studied abroad through State Department programs. Senator Fulbright, at whose hearings I had the privilege of testifying as a young veteran returning from Vietnam, he knew that the value of sharing our proudest values bore fruit in the long run, in the future. He said, “Having people who understand your thought,” he said, “is much greater security than another submarine.”

You can view his entire speech below and read the full text of his talk on the State Department website.

What Does John Kerry's Confirmation as U.S. Secretary of State mean for International Educational and Cultural Exchange?

Confirmed with a 94 to 3 vote, John Kerry will be sworn into office as the next Secretary of State of the United States on Friday, February 1, 2013.

Secretary Clinton was a strong advocate for international educational and cultural exchanges.  It will be interesting to see how he will lead (or not) in this area.

What are your thoughts?

For me, I feel he will be a champion of international education.

On February 1, 2001 (12 years to the day of his scheduled swearing in ceremnony) Senator Kerry introduced S.Con.Res.7 - Concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should establish an international education policy to further national security, foreign policy, and economic competitiveness, promote mutual understanding and cooperation among nations, and for other purposes.