america 1961 was a diffent america. we are a much more diverse society. the peace corps is the face of america going overseas. i think we would be extraordinarily well served by embarking on a very aggressive effort. the secretary made an effort to one of the challens we fou when we did some of the field testing here in the united states, inquiring of people of color why is it that you are disinclined to go into the peace corps. the most frequent response was economics. first-generation clege graduates cannot do it. they cannot afford it. the cannot go off for two years. they have to get a job. those are the obstacles people cited as reasons the could not going to the peace corps. that is a reasonable, viable, and thoughtful explanation, not lacking the desire and determination or willingness to serve, but having economic and other social hardships that exist within this community is sometimes. i would simply urge that the

development and training are critically important. but i think that one of the greatest values the peace corps can bring -- i will never forget being in morocco and having someone said, "you do not look like an american." he said, "your skin is dark and your hair is dark." it is a different shade these days, but it was all dark bk then. he said, "you do not look like an american." it gave me a platform to talk about the diversity of america. i think this is a critical component going forward and will be important in the future of the peace corps to have a depiction of the face of america in ws we have not seen in the past, for the benefit of the united states of america. >> i want to invite members of the audience to go to the microphones and ask questions of the panel. one of the great traditions of is john f. kennedy jr. forum

that all speakers agree to take questions from the audience. the audience in turn agrees to ask questions. i will remind you of the rule for asking questions in the forum. please identify yourself. please keep your question short and concise. and please make sure your question and with a question mark. [laughter] their arkansas four microphones, two upstairs and two down here. >> i am suzanne. i am from [unintelligible] when you were a director, dr. vasquez -- doctor? [laughter] director? i now also work in the fieldf international development. curity issues around the world are increasing tremendously. so my question now is -- how is

peace corps responding to this? how are you deciding now which countries you will go in? are you expecting them? it soundas if you are expanding to include some more "higher risk" countries like colombia. i heard you are going to haiti. having lived in haiti last year, i am curus about how that is affected by -- even now the technically peace corps is not part of foreign policy, it is in a way. how the decisions being made involving security and where you go? >> first of all, the security and health of our volunteers, as you know from your service, is first and foremost for the peace corps. we are only going to countries where we find an environment that is practice of -- that is permissive, where we can safely put volunteers to do the work. we looked at colombia very carefully. we are going to an area where

volunteers can teach in a safe environment. haiti is a large country. there are lots of places we can work with poor communities in haiti were volunteers will be perfectly safe. let me say that before we go into a country conduct a careful, in-depth assessment, rking on the ground in that country, whether it is on the american side, the un, international donors, or the world bank. we look to make sure volunteers are going to be safe, first and foremost. that is one of the things all of us have had to be responsible for. >> i want to comment on that. you were obviously director during one of the most challenging times. >> yours is a very important qution. it was a question i was asked by many parents after 9/11. i should point out that 60% of volunteers of the peace corps today are women. the split is 60-40. whether we like it or not, the

reality is that the level of concern, country to country -- the questions come quickly and directly to the peace corps director. for us, we established the office of volunteer safety and security, which conducts the survey is the director has alluded to. i think we have a very credible process. some of you may remember during my tenure the big day in news, a seven part series on the safety and security of the peace corps. when i interviewed with the reporter, i asked why the interest in the peace corps. he said it was time for somebody to look at peace corps safety and security. that created a good deal of interest on the hill, which generated legislation. it also generated tremendous response from the returned peace corps volunteer community. some of the proposals that were being floated -- for example, let's cluster the volunteers. let us get three or four

volunteers to live together in one location. the feedback from the field, the volunteers, was overwhelming against this. the other was mandate whatever peace corps volunteer has to have a cell phone. that induced a reaction globally up, "not going there," from a lot of different reasons we will not going to. the greatest a colder in all of this is the volunteer, who best knows, in concert wh the staff and director, what standards for safety and security are best for tt country, and which are most appropriate. it is a constant state of vigilance. i think any of us here -- i did not want to speak to the other directors. if there was anything that caused me to turn and toss, it was not legislation or funding. it was always safety and security. i needed peace of mind as director of the agency that our policies and practices at headquarters and around the world were a standard that could

meet the test, given the difficult circumstances. i think by and large the peace corps has done a great job of providing relatively good safety and security. >> the question over here. >> my name is karen. i am a fellow at the center. i live in kenya, where i was in the peace corps. i went in in 1965, and i went back to live there about 40 years later. the thing that surprised me the most when i went back was the gigantic ngo community which had notxisted when i was there in the peace corps. and i have my thoughts about ngos, but my greatest worry when i saw them was -- was the peace corps a template for the ngos who come in and do for kenya what kenyon's should be demanding that the government do for them? when i hear about an expansion of the peace corps, that makes

me very nervous, because i think, and i would like to -- i think what many kenyans would say, and i have talked to many who do not think the peace corps is any different than the other western ngos -- they do not even live that badly. they would say to you, "why are you sending the peace corps here? why don't you use that money and helped to fund programs that kenyans, 40% of whom are unemployed, including many students i teach at the university who can i get jobs when they finish -- why aren't you just giving them money so that kenyans can do for themselves and demand of their government that they provide the services that your peace corps people are providing?" >> a great question. would you start off on that one? >> per se, thank you for your service as a volunteer. it is an interesting question, and i won i think the peace corps has wrestled with on and off.

i would observe the question of the scale and the actual finances of the peace corps, the actual budget of the peace corps and what that would really mean if the peace corps did not exist. if you took literally dollar for dollar, i do not think you he anywhere near the impact, the veraging impact, of a peace corps volunteer's time. the broader point -- i would share your view that what has chand since you were a volunteer, which is one of my observations about the partnerships for the next 50 years, is the explosion of the ngo community. we would all agree it can vary in terms of its effectiveness. theuestion for the peace corp going forward, is how c they get into some of these organizations or not? i think the peace corps could provide extraordinary hp workers around the world. like any other alternative, much less cost, it wanted to, if we funded to do it. my own view is i think these

partnerships are essential to the peace corps, whether or not our volunteers are with them. there are different variants of how that are currently operating around the world. i do not see that changing in the developing world as we see that sector explosion. i think the question for the peace corps is how do we best address it. my own take -- i would respectfully disagree with you that the dollar for dollar exchange would not have anywhere near the leverage of the volunteers have around the world. >> my name is vanessa bradford gary. i am a doctor at mass general. i worked at the harvard medical school. one of the things we are trying to work on -- this is going to play a little bit of the last question. it is the idea of a global health service corps, creating loan forgiveness and scholarship in order to send people ovseas into structured

programs and in partnership with the places that we are working to develop capacity, new doctors, nurses, pharmacists, technological capacity, and to be able to make investments. somebody already mentioned this to make our jobs redundant. it is about building our partners. the idea has existed for a while. it has been shot down in number of times. we are trying to reinvigorate it. there has been an explosion in global halt interest. global health is now seen as central to our security, development, economists, overall well-being. it is a two-part question and i apologize for that. one thought is you have mentioned the idea of sending health workers overseas. how often do you see doctors applying, or nurses, or people who have trained and are potentially going overseas to the peace corps? my second question is what do you think the feasibility is?

how can we begin to see a program like this take place, either to get the political will going or to gethe hill to be willing to do program like this, or to see -- would this be an extension of the peace corps? i also want to thank you all for gathering, because this is sort of an incredible collection and it is wonderful to hear your perspectives. i will put back to my question. figure. >> first of all, your idea and what you arerying to do is a marvelous idea, and ihink you ought to continue to discuss this with the various sources you have been in contact with. i think to the extent the peace corps could participate in that initiative, it would be a perfect partnership. one of the things we are trying to do is to expand partnership the peace corps is engaged with, with u.s. government agencies, with the private sector, and with leading development ngos around the world. we need to be able to provide better training.

we need peace corps volunteers to become more effective at the local level. partnerships are an important part of what we are trying to do. getting back to the first question, about recruitment of people who have health care experience and expertise, there is a healthy percentage receive. not many doctors. more nurses. we see retired doctors. many retired doctors -- i met one not long ago who wanted to go to the peace corps. he did not want to have anything to do with madison. he wanted to do something entirely different. [laughter] he ended up being a teacher in the ukraine. we try to accommodate those type of interests. there is a pretty healthy cohort of people in health care. they are going into the peace corps. we try to encourage that. the other thing we do is we train generalists to work at the grass-roots level to work on

capacity developme, an extension agency in the health- care field, whether is h.i.v.- aids or a malaria. >> as you were asking your question, i was rlecting on a lengthy conversation i had with then-senator bill frist of tennessee, who was a medical doctor who introduced legislation to create a global medical corps that would provide a funding stream and process for doctors and other health-care providers to go overseas, a la the peace corps, to provide that kind of support to host countries. unfortunately, the legislation, for reasons of cost, never really got off the ground. but i suspect that in time this topic will probably emerge again. i will say this. when i was director of the peace corps, we established the peace corps office of global -the global aids office of theeace corps. we have been applying for

funding which the director has ne a great job of implementing and maintaining. i as ambassador to the un dealing with food policy had the opportunity to visit countries were people who were living with aids, who are on medication, also have to have, as you probably know from your training, a certain nutritional balance in their life in order to sustain themselves and basically to stay alive. i do believe, and people are starting to write about it now, that we are headed in a direction where we are building a demand for the future that is people living with aids at advanced age. that are going to require me treatment and oversight for the treatment. we may have to shoulder an increasing responsibility for it. that may create an avenue to create the kind of discussion you have talked about. this is a topic that is starting to emerge because we are being successful in the global aids

program in. the result is that more people are living longer. it is sustainable. it requires medical oversight and care. that is an issue we will probably hear more about. for your question, i wish we had a better answer. >> into all for being here, first of all. i am brian moore. i am returned peace corps volunteer for three and a half years. i am also one of the lucky peace corps volunteers who was able to marry a host country national. my country director thankfully signed off on it. otherwise, i would not have been allowed to marry my wife. i am also a student of international development here. south the secretary as well as director williams -- and you mentioned the concept of diversifying the peace corps as far as volunteers go, as well as strengthening the volunteer profile. their ability to make change.

how does that fit in with a lot of the bills that are being looked at in congress, or the varieties of bills in congress as far as more peace corps? just sort of to paraphrase development guru [unintelligible] he said, "certainly, more is better. but better is also better. and more is even better after better is better." how is making a better peace corps reconciled with making more peace corps? >> director williams, and also directorunintelligle] mentioned increasing. i am not that sure i support a really big expansion of peace corps, because i really emphasize -- i really think it is important to emphasize the quality of the experience.

and we do have times when volunteers arrive on site and things are not ready. part of that is because they are serving in very difficult countries in which there can be political change. we understand all of that. but i think the quality of experience is very important for the volunteer, for the host country. it is their responsibility to provide meaningful employment that will ensure thavolunteers are really being tapped well. first of all, congratulations on your marriage. that is wonderful. this is another role within the peace corps. apparently, peace corps volunteers cannot get married while they are in service unless they get a sign off from the director. is that another sacred cow that needs to be revisited, director williams? [laughter] >> sure. was that glenn fricke that

you quoted? i think better is always better. the peace corps experience in the future needs to be a growth in quality. we want to make sure we continue to provide a quality experience for these remarkable americans who want to serve. we are using the money we receive from congress to invest in training, to investn providing better staff oversight, and to invest in an ivy -- an i.t. platform that allows us to connect volunteers worldwide so that we in -- so that when we in -- when we discover a best practice we can share it around the world. there is nooubt about it that my staff and i are focused on trying to get it better, and providing quality experiences for the volunteers. i think those are the kind of investments we want to see. it is importantor the future of the peace corps. we need to have a quality

program in our expansion. >> i am christopher. i was a peace corps volunteer in guinea a few years ago. i was interested in the comments made earlier about the changing of the terms of service or the duration of service. i would love if that could be panded upon at some point in more detail, perhaps by director williams. my actual questionas more to the question or idea of improving peace corps. th question was inspired in part by the comments earlier about looking to the future and recognizing what peace cor was and celebrating for what it was, but also looking in terms of how we can transform it or keep it abreast of what developing countries need today. i think when peace corps was created in 1961, it was evident that sending over young american college graduates, recent college graduates, was a commodity that we had. we had something that many

developing countries lacked. that was an expertise that was needed. today, i wonder if that is still the case. i wonder if in many developing countries sending over primarily young american recent college graduates is going to be in t best interest othose countries. i think we would all say it is in our best interest as americans. it gets us involved in foreign policy and international development aspects of what is going on in our world. but i wonder if the future of the peace accords to look toward creating -- rather than taking teaching jobs, moving towar a technical support le. that would involve attracting people with more experience, perhaps graduate degrees,eople with more work experience, and putting them in positions where they can hope the gernment at a higher level make more substantial changes, or helping them develop their policies in a way that wld affect our

people. >> i would just offer this. director williams has a more contemporary perspective. >> we established -- as an mentioned, they open the first program in mexico. mexico made clear they wanted a different kind of a program in technology,cience, environmental protection. the average age of the peace corps volunteer in the first group of volunteers who went in -- i can tell you they were definitely not in their 20s. there were north of 30. probably both re north of 40. these were men and women with master's degrees in science is, public health, environmental sciences, and what not. then i had the opportunity to visit with them and to see their program. it was a totally different type of program than what you are accustomed to. that was the type of programming the mexican government was seeking from the peace corps. earlier tonight, the director

was telling me the mexican government was looking to expand the peace corps and introduced new areas, though probably someone nontraditional for peace corps, but representative aware the peace corps could go in the future in some areas and some countries. >> i am going to inject a little controversy in here. is that ok? we have tried to -- the director tried that. paul coverdale and tried to do that in the 1990's by expanding into the former soviet union. you are a returned peace corps volunteer, are you not? if you feel strongly about this issue, talk about it within the returned peace corps volunteer community, because they are a very important constituent base for the director. i listened to them all the time. i would hear from them all the time. when paul coverdale went into eastern europe and i subsequently went into the

former soviet union, because of the compelling events of world history occurring at that time, there were some peace corps volunteers that did not agree with that. you are very much a part of a discussion as to where peace corps volunteers go, how the resources are being deployed. these countries who were more sophisticated, had more literate populations, wanted for skilled volunteers. but it was hard to maintain that. after a certain time, the mechanism of peace corps tended to recruit younger and more inexperienced candidates. there is an institutional issue here, where the institutions

have to change to recruit in a sustainable, long-term, permanent basis, more skilled at volunteers. i am thinking of the secretary of labor. very, very important part of that discussion. >> i am going to ask for two more questions. i will ask for them to be brief. i will take a question here and a question up there. ask them quickly, and then we will -- >> my name is todd schweitzer. i am a first year public policy student from the kennedy school. i just got back from the dominican republic as a peace corps volunteer in june. >> i commend you on your decision. >> thank you sincerely for coming to speak. thank you very much. it is amazing. my question ptains to peace corps response, or crisis core. when it was founded, it was started, and is now under the

leadership of director williams. can you comment on the division you originally had four prices court and what peace corps response looks like today and where it will be? >> let me get one mor question and we will take them both together. you do not have a question. we can take one more question. >> my name is greg. i am a senior at the u.s. coast guard academy. my question is for director williams and everybody else. you identified change agents as being a product for the united states in terms of sending abroad. what has beenone for peace corps in terms of identifying change agents in the country's you go to, in terms of saying this is a member who can make substantial ange for the country going forward, and providing resources to do so? thanks. >> u.s. about the decision to create the crisis court. i want to talk about the extraordinary values. >> the history, of course, as alain said, was listing to so

many returned peace corps volunteers, who would reflect on their years of service, very much want to go back, but were frustrated that their lives are organized and somewhat encumbered. , anotr 27 months was unthinkable. if the world needs the skill sets of peace corps volunteers. while they might have been lacking a lot of experience when they first went in, coming back later in life, language skills, cross-cultural skills, cultural skills. there was a group in the united states of returned pea corps volunteers unlike any other. the theory was to change a little bit. change is hard in an organization. there is no question. it was a change of the link of service,y opening point, looking a little bit to peek under the tt of other transport. -- of other variants with the returned community. i think the skill sets are different. i think the theory was to be

responsive to needs, to tap the rather unique skills and attribes and attributes returned peace corps volunteers could bring to an area of crisis, but in a way that is less than 27 months. i have been pleased with its progress to date, the difference it has made. >> just 30 seconds. i salute the director for the vision he had to establish crisis core. we deployed crisis corps volunteers to assist after the tsunami in tremont corp's -- sri lanka, thailand we tapped into the crisis court in a way that had never been done before after seeing the devastation of the tsunami and katrina. we deployed peace corps crisis corps volunteers for the first time on american soil. the response from the volunteers lit up the board with hundreds of our volunteers who said,

"send me to work down there." i support the organization. >> today, the crisis court is now called the peace corps response. if we did not have the peace corps response unit at peace corps, which would have to invent that. we need to be able to respond quickly to emerging opportunities that present themselves. we have been able to go back intoierra leone and c olombia because we have peace corps response. we had returned peace corps respondents ready to go back into haiti 48 hours after the earthquake. this demonstrates the resilience and interest of the returned peace corps volunteer community. it is important. i applaud mark for doing that. it has really been important. when we see an opportunity to go into the country, whether we have been there for a while and want to in in terms of a new program, we have a tool we can

use to provide experience up from talented volunteers with the language skills of the country. i also want to answer the question the gentleman asked me from the coast guard. had we find change agents in countries where we work, where they can make a difference and have an impact in their country? that is one of the things to constantly search for in the countries where we serve. we are trying to identify the best organizations and the best leaders of those organizations so we can get peace corps volunteers to assist them in their role of making a difference in their society. there is nothing more important. there thousands of peace corps stories about volunteers to work with individuals like that who ded up being leaders in their countries in all sectors. this is ongoing and important from day one, from 1961 on. we have been looking for change agents and continue to support those imptant individuals to make a difference. men and women who can make a difference in terms of

development. >> weave to bring this panel to a close. please join me in thanking the panelists. [applause] for a wonderful, wonderful time. thank you. [applause] thank you. that was great. >> [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> here is our schedule. up next, bill clinton presents tony blair with the liberty award metal. later, an interview with jane goodall on her work as a conservationist. then, members of the british use parliament gather in the

house of parliament for a debate on social issues including the rising cost of university tuition fees and sex education. >> this weekend, with polling data from 8 arab countries, james of the question muslims about the war on terror. he discusses his findings with -- to covered the middle east for "usa today," and "the washington times." >> last week, the associated press reported that the cellisao wski won the right in tennessee

in alaska's. one of the new republicans is roy bluny of missouri. he fills the open seat left vacant by kip blunt. he served as the seventh district of missouri for the last -- now the former british prime minister receives a liberty award metal. he is introduced by former president bill clinton at this event which took place earlier this fall at the national constitution center in philadelphia. hour. [applause] >> its these core values of a free society that we celebrate

with the liberty medal presentation. values exemplified in the work of this year's honoree, tony blair as he helps to build pathways to freedom in a troubled world. caxias channeled the power of our shared democratic principles and has turbocharged it with a personal commitment and determination to -- that defines everything he has ever dones a world leader and a private citizen. in places where others had given up hope, of tony blair has created a hope r better future. his work gives new meaning and alive to the timeless values of our common legal heritage. he has brought peace to troubled regions by extending the reach of freedom and democracy and helping people understand and embrace what makes them different. [applause]

>> please welcome the president and chief executive officer of the national constitution center, david eisner. [applause] and former president of the united states, william jefferson clinton. [applause] and the recipient of the 2010 liberty medal, former prime minister othe united kingdom, tony blair. [applause]

>> thank you and welcome. i want to thank my fellow board members at the constitution center and our president and ceo. thank you for your support. our chief park rger, thank you for where you do. mo of all, i want to thank my longtime frid and former prime minister -- my longtime the former premier ester. -- prime minister. as i think most of you know, the

first time i had any hand in presenting this award was iny first year as president before this center was here. in 1993 on july 4. we give it to nelson mandela. we have had at least five winners of the nobel peace prizwin this award and many others who have done noble and good things. when he was prime minister, tony blair worked hard to modernize his country's economy and improve its performance for ordinary citizens. he worked to reform the uk's health, education, and social welfare systems so the advanced opportunities and responsibility and were effective. he led the uk on an impressive

path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving economic growth, and even after he left office, that legacy dured because we now that not would -- notwithstding the downturn, the u.k. is one of four countries that will certainly have the greenhouse gas limits established by the kia of the -- the kyoto protocol. he stood up for the freedom of his own citizens in supporting the government so of the personal -- closer to will and reflect their aspirations. he stood up for the people of northern ireland to build a common picture that was peaceful and constructive and without his efforts, it would haulnot have

occurred. he stood with me when it was not stop another round of ethnic cleansing in 1999. [applause] when he stepped down from being prime minister, after continuing the so-called special relationship between the u.s. and u.k., and working closely with my successor, president bush, tony asked me what i thought he should do. i said, you should -- you have been through so much and you have one these elections, there is this turmoil. you neeto take some time off and hang around with your wife and kids and take six months and decide what you are going to do. he listened very intently as he

always does, and completely ignored, it buys. [laughter] instead, he immediately accepted a request to become the representative of these so- called quartet, the four sponsors of the middle east peace process, talking about how economic development can be used as an instrument of peace and progress in that troubled region. i must say that i am very grateful to have him working there, and i know he is making a difference because the american secretary of state told me so. [laughter] [applause] beyond the work in the middle east, he is advising african presidents in rwanda, sierra

leone, and rwanda to build self- reliance, and attract investment through his african government's initiave and building the capacity of countries that need so desperately to be more prosperous to govern themselves and not beeliant others. his foundation is promoting religion as a powerful force for good and reconciliation. i think this is profoundly important at a time when there is so much controversy still over this issue in america and around the world. tony blair believes that people of faith can be people of peace if they're willing to concede the possibility that once in awhile, they might be wrong and not every religious tenet can be turned into a political program. for that to, we are profoundly

in his debt. he has demonstrated extraordinary political and substantive skills as a blic leader as a leader of the opposition and as prime minister and winning for labour a record number of elections. we had the great honor to work to build a global movement called the third way, which made it sound like we we lost. in fact, what we believed is that progress and should build a government and a partnership withhe private sector and partnerships with each other, focused on the realities of the 21st century world, not the 20th century world. government should be about empowerment, creating the

conditions and giving people the tools to chart their course and make the most of their lives. that it should be strong, but not overbearing. it should always advance the cause of liberty. since he left office, he has done what i knew he would. too good.ntinued to b hilly and i are grateful we haven't friends with tony and his wife stilfor so long that we have seen his children grew up and we know him in a way that politicians do not always know which other. he deserves this award and in the rhythm of this program and in a few minutes, will give it to him. i want you to a acknowledge

that now. we're grateful he is in philadelphia in a crediblthe crf our lirty. [applause] i do think it is interesting we're giving this award to the famously successful former prime minister othe united kingdom. in the city where we declared our independence from his country, where we decided that their common-law constitution was not good enough, and we have to have written one. after we fought a second war with them and th burned the white house after eating dolley madis's diner -- dolly

madison's dinner. there is no free like a partnership between our countries. he is in the finest tradition of the partnership. i am grateful because he has been my personal friend, my candid adviser, my colleagues in trying to build the politics that would bring us together when so much in the world drives us apart. and because he is devoting his time now to the cause of peace in the middle east which, if successful, would dmore than any other single thing to drain the swamp of hatred in that region and undermine the siren song of terrorists all across the world. [applause] it is in recognition of his

work as prime minister and afterward to put peace, reconciliation, and prosperity at the forefront of life within the u.k. and far beyond its borders, to save the lives of christians,, muslims, like, to bring people together in a world bent on driving them park apart -- them apart which has richly earned him this liberty medal. thk you very much. [applause] >> from abc news, christian amanpour. [applause] >> thank you.

i am happy to be here with you. thank you, mr. president and mr. prime minister. distinguished ladies and gentlemen. it is great to be here to celebrate this tradition. as a journalist, i have covered all the world so many of the crises and interventions that president clinton outlined. the president and the prime minister were leading at the time. doing that, i have seen a great deal of suffering, a great deal of famine, a great deal of the people who were forgotten. i have seen that it is often that conflict and bad news that does make the news. it is religious intolerance that commands our attention while tolerance and understanding often do not. human suffering touches our hearts and lives distraction while the absence of suffering merits often such little notice.

there are times and places in the world where the opposite is true and i've been fortunate to cover that as well. where are return to peace and understanding and an end to conflict and an end to injustice, what we tnk of as rmal life, is also news. it is good news, and this evening, we will look at a lot of that. i am delighted to be here at this year's liberty medal ceremony. a ceremony that since 1989, has celebrated the freedoms of sunni -- that so many people enjoy. we are pleased to join in the cultural differences and people who have never experienced freedom. we're here to celebrate all of those people who now. this evening's first performer has been recognized for reaching out in the name of peace and

understanding in the regionhat has known precious little of either. our region present clinton mentioned that tony bir is working hard in. there are in the middle of the latest arab-israeli peace negotiations. i will introduce a singer who will sing for us this evening. has lyrics in english, hebrew, and arabic. [applause] ♪ ♪ there were days i wish it were

just all go away is no it would all just disappear ♪ ♪i feel i am losing touch anything that makes sense ♪ ♪ where can we go from here to restoreomethigng my faith in the light ♪

[singing] ♪ why can't we go ♪ ging]n ♪

♪ where can we go from here ♪ give me something to restore my faith in the light ♪ tell me that we're here to stay ♪ something to restore my faith in the light is ♪ [applause] thank you.

>> that was optimism, that was our district. please join me in thanking her one more time. [applause] welcome to the national constitution center. i am david eisner. ceo and president. this is a great night for all of us. for me, tonight is the first liberty medal ceremonies since i became president. today happens to be the day that my family that moved here from bethesda, their first day in philadelphia. [applause] the founding fathers endured

some ptty tough troubles on their way to independen hall, which is right there behind you. on the other hand, those fhers did not come here with four children and a dog. while preparing to host the leaders of the united states and great britain, and having failed spectacularly to help with the move, let me make up by asking you to join me in thanking my wonderful wife and our children . thank you for allowing me to become part of this wonderful center. i am glad you are here. my post for five years before coming to the center included running this and americorps. the national service program

that was created by president clinton. taking on this position was irresistible because the center has, in my view, moreotential than any organization in the u.s. to energize the active civic participation of american citizens. not to mention the opportunity to work with president clinton on another great initiative of civil engagement. the national center is not just a history museum. about the people who came here more than 200 years ago to forge a document. it is a living tree to the power of people to shape society, and to change the future through their spirited participation. our vibrant, interactive exhibits reminds millions of visitors that we, the people have always been and we must

continue to be the creators and the guardians of the liberty that enriches our lives and that makes america at all land where all peoplere free to succeed. a couple of hours ago,resident clinton led the board meeting that focused on our long-term plans. we are poised for the center to become the national leader. the center for information and debate about the constitutional and civic issuesf our time. our country thrives on political discourse. we at the center are committed to playing a major role in broadening participation in that this course. in honoring that commitment, we recognize the metal as the crown jewel in our celebration of the freedoms on which this nation was founded. we describe those for whom this metal was intended as man and

woman of courage and conviction. who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people arnd the globe. lech walesa was the first winner in 1989. the metal has been awarded to six recipients to, after receiving it, went on to win the nobel prize. the men the world leaders we recognize all share a belief in the power of vigorous citizens to lift one another up, like presidents bill clinton and george h. w. bush, our 2006 recipients who presided over an unprecedented public outpouring of support for the victims after hurricane katrina and the tsunami in southeast asia. when we honor filmmaker steven

spielberg, the musician and activist bono, and the discoverers of the structure of dna, we salute people whose work eliminates and unleashesuman potential. this year's recipients of the metal embody the principles on which this award was established and on which our constitution w ordained. former prime minister of the u.k. tony blair, as you have heard and will hear again, drove the peace process in northern ireland. he is a leader in the middle east peace process, including his participation as quartet representatives in the white house discussion only the week before last. he has provided valuable guidance and support in sierra leone and other parts of africa. his great work also illustrates that it is this serious

sustained involvement of ordinary citizens that makes the difference between poverty and promise, between despair and democracy. and between hopelessness and hope. without the dialogue between the people of northern ireland and the u.k., an exercise in civi responsibility, peace would have remained only a dream. welcome, mr. blair. tonight, we honor you for summoning so many to the recl of civic engagement and securing and extending the blessings of liberty around the world. thank you. [applause] >> and these words from the good friday agreement. with the participants in the lti-party negotiations believes the agreement we have negotiated offers a historic

opportunity for a new beginning. the tragedies of the past have left a deep and profound the regrettable legacy of suffering. we must never forget those who have died or have been injured and their families. we can best honor them three fresh start in which we dedicate ourselves to the achievement of reconciliation, tolerance, and mutual trust and to the protection and education of e human rights all. the belfast agreement brought an end to 30 years of violence which had its roots i religious and political differences and go back several centuries. like the declaration of independence, the declaration of human rights, and others through history, those who read this agreement put it in writing to the principles they believe would form the foundation for new tradition and freedom. >> my father went across the

border to buy suites because it was cheaper. that stopped because the trouble started. >> the history of the catholics in northern ireland goes back hundreds of years. the trouble started in 1968. -- the troubles started in 1968. they fought for equality and basic issues. not unlike the civil rights movements of the 1960's in the u.s. these were rejected. that led to the start of violence by paramilitary groups and horrific violence and the deaths and 30,000 people injured. this was intended to look at is a resolution that was never

tried to work. we believe [unintelligible] the good friday agreements looked at the standing issues that could possibly rise. the word -- there were thousands of prisonproners who were servig long sentences. neither the groups or the political wings were going to leave the priners behind. we have to make a decision we would release the prisoners. there was a difficult decision. many of them had committed murder, mass murder. we have to make the judgment to release prisoners back into society. the majority never engag in trouble again. a large proportion took an active role in building the peace in their communities. the agreement was the broad nature of it.

public representatives would be electe and how they would proceed. none of the previous agreements tried to be as far-reaching. >> leaders have taken their biggest step toward giving their people a chance to live in peace. >> there is no substitute for trying to undstand the other person's problems. that can only come with time. we proved a sustained effort of negotiations, of patience and understanding, aican build trus. people are prepared to move on and live in a new peaceful society. >> blair risked a lot to his reputation by talking to people he should not have been talking to. he found the courage to compromise. this is an underrated word,

compromise. i think tony blair understands the word compromise better than most. is compromise that are about the peace so can really in irand. ♪ on the first day of january, 1892 ♪ people through and ♪ from ireland ♪ ♪

♪

[applause] ♪ ♪ [singing] ♪ let there be peace tod and forever ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ let there be peace ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ [applause]

>> ladiesnd gentlemen, the irish tenors. >> that was great. in 2000, the cover of "the economist" refer to address the hopeless continent. there were many who refuse to give up hope. people who saw diversity. not tomorrow, but by telling the bring to the channel. -- vitality. there are thousands forging roads literally and figuratively to raise about africa and bring hope to our region where none has existed for a long time. >> african, consonant torn by armed conflict. wars between countries, civil wars, ethnic attacks.

often fueled by tyranny and greed. >> it was ravaged by war. a lot of problems and corruption. >> much of the world knows africa as a continent teeming with poverty, famine, and disease. there is another africa. one moving out of the darkness. in need of a helping hand as it struggles toward the light. >> we have been trying to effect change in many sectors. the securities sector, the judiciary to my infrtructure. >> africa does have a chance to move on. some countriesave them but not enough. >> diseases and recognized borders. we have the technology to stop malaria. we can stop the transition --

transmission of hiv/aids. >> some are reaching out, mobilizing others, and letting the path to a brighter future. >> you may have a great idea, but how do you translate it into reality? we're making sure the reality here is being replicated. >> tony blair is building the foundation for private economy. and to help africans developed the know-how and self-reliance to keep running. the spirit and support that are helping africa turned the corner are evident in the work of organizations such as the attorney blair faith foundation, the african government's initiative, and the african progress panel. >> we have god-given vegetation that can support the good o many crops. we have our marine resources that have a huge potential and a

serious investme like we're doing now will be able to raise the export potential. >> african countries are becoming major economic powers in the next decade. that will happen. it will help the global economy enormously. a billion more producers and consumers, we really need them. we also need a peaceful africa for our own securi. >> it is remarkable and we should be sharing -- shouting it from the rooftops. tony blair should be proud. there are 43 million more children in primary school today in africa than in 1999. that is an astonishing thing to be able to say. in large part due to a combination of improved

governance. >> the leadership of these individuals and organizations has provided a rallying point for the future of africa. if africa is to succeed, it is ordinary citizens that must ray and help light her way along the pathway to freedom. >> ladies and gentlemen, president clinton. >> it is my great honor to award the liberty medal to former prime minister and woerful world citizen, and tony blair. -- world citizen tony blair.

[applause] >>hank you very much. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. thank you. please, everyone. thank you free much indeed. mr. president, mr. governor, mr. mayor. it is a tremendous privilege and honor to receive whole this liberty metal and to be with you this evening in philadelphia. i am so delighted to be in such distinguished company, not

least and foremost, the master of politics, my friend, my partner, my good colleague, prident clinton. he and hillary were great friends to me and my family. if you allow me, a wonderful thing for me tonight not just to be here myself but to have my wife and my son and daughter along with me. [applause] when there is an award given at a place that commemorates the

founding of the u.s. constitution, it can present certain presentational difficulties for british prime minister. i am sorry about what happened in the past. one of the things you find as british prime minister wherever you go in the world, after time, when they tell you about the proble in their area, in almost reaches the point where you say it is the british to the that. it is the uniform -- unifying theme. you do know, for example, there were many british people, not the least and englishmen tom

paine who played a great part in the constitution itself. you should know also that despite all that history those years ago, people look today not just in america but outside of america. the u.s. constitution and its celebration of that great engine of human progress, the universal desire for liberty. it is your constitution for your country. when we look at it and when we read it, we feel a tremendous sense of pride in him an achievement. [applause] formby, the idea of liberty has always been more than just the idea of freedom. it has been about the starving

of the human spirit -- striving of the human spirit. i think about starving when i am out in the middle east peace process. i was in jerusalem last night. sometimes i look at the issue of liberty and striding through the eyes of those in the middle east -- striving through the ey of those in the middle east. the word israel, striving with god. when moses liberated the people of israel, let my people go, he did so, and in doing so, showed that liberty is not something passive. it is something active.

when i spoke earlier about my speech, i said, would he like me to speak about? he said i do not know, but make it short. [laughter] i will give you just a few mites, my seventh lessons of liberty. the first is that every milestone on the road to liberty marks a struggle. liberty is not required by accident. it is won byndeavour. no people, no country, no nation has ever won their liberty except by striving. in creating liberty, there is opposition. there is even defeat, and occasionally despair along the way. liberty is about the overcoming. the second lesson is it comes from people who lead.

my office in london is in john thes' old house, which is first campus -- ambassador to the u.s. through the court of st. james and the president. he was -- believed in god as creator but put aside religious dogma. he and the work of others and the beliefs of others ma a huge and in double imprint on your constitution. when we examine the history of liberty, we find is not some predetermined course of events, but ordinary huma beings doing extraordinary things in a mid = world changing

events. all people want to be free. not all people are free. all people wt to be. you hear people say it is in their culture, it is in their history. liberty is not something they naturally want, or like, or desire. ask them. usually, in my experience, when people have tasted freedom, they never want to go back to life in chains. the fourth, to be free is to be responsible for the freedom of others. and not just their democratic liberty. but freedom from want, famine, poverty, and disease. in the work in africa today, we're not just helping governments to help people. we are saying something

fundamentally important about our attitude as part of the free world. what president clinton -- when president clinton founded the initiatives that this wonderful work in africa, he was making a statement, not just of moral conviction, but of a belief that those of us who have freedom have the responsibility, a duty imposed to help others to the same freedoms we cherish and hold dear. it cannot be right that 1 million people die every year credibly from malaria. it is our duty to make sure they do not. in strivg to do that, we also strive for liberty. the fifth lesson, liberty requires rules. their constitution -- your constitution, the rule of law, the rules that are predictable

move fairly applied, not corrupt our laws about government. not government about law. where the global community has made a reality through information and technology, liberty requires we respect the differences. in the middle east, i see every week that i am there was conflict based on difference can do. i know in the end, whether jew or christian or muslim or any other fai, there is a common humanity, and a common need for work humanity can achieve that unites us. i want to see a world and will

strive for such a world in which people are free to follow their religion without fear or favor, and respect those of a different faith to themselves. [applause] when we in kosovo acted together, we did so to liberate people who were muslim from oppression by a government that was of a christian country. we did not do it because the victims were muslim, or the power oppressing was from a christian country. we did it because we believed that whatever our faith, whatever our religious creed, we should be equal before god the seventh, liberty need

optimism. -- needs optimism. i met many pessimists and cynics and a few commentators. [laughter] no one ever achieved anything by being a cynic or a pessimist. when i saw replayed the old footage of the ireland peace agreement, apart from the embarrassing fact of the aging process being visible, you did not laugh at that, actually. being visible for all to say, sometimes people ask me how did that happen? it happened -- [unintelligible]

because people felt it could happen. though the history had been one of conflict and misery and suffering, it did not have to be like that. it could indeed change. that optism of the human spirit is what drives progress and indeed, what drives liberty also. what is it to be free? other than in that freedom, to be able to see the possibility and potential of a life lived to the full, a potential delivered to the fold. when i received this metal this evening, i received it with a sense of privilege and a deep sense of honor. i receive it in a spirit of hope and optimism for the future. i will finish with a story about

the northern ireland peace process. and the extraordinary and indomitable spirit of the irish nation. during the course of the peace process, very often, we would have a breakdown in negotiations, and we would go way for a few weeks to iron out the difficulties. on one of these occasions, my wife was expecting our youngest child, now 10 years old. there was one of the irish delegation that ce and said, your wife is expecting. isn't that wonderful thing? i said it is. what do you think you will be calling the child? i said i am not sure. it is a boy, i will call it after my father. he said, isn't that wonderful?

we finished and went away. my wife gave birth a few months later. wead another one of these negotiations. i see this guy across the room and he has a wonderful suntan. i do not know if you have been to northern ireland. a great place, but not necessarily the place you get a suntan. i say, where did you get that suntanned? he said you are responsible. the conversation i had with you and your wife and the name of the child. i went down the next day and put 1,000 pounds at the bookmaker on the name of the child. [laughter] that is the spirit of optimism that give us the peace process. thank you very much indeed. it is a great pleasure to be with you. thank you. [applause]

♪ ♪

♪ when i am down and all my soul is weary ♪ ♪ when troubles come and my heart is [unintelligible] until you come and sit a while with me ♪ hope when [unintelligible]

♪ ♪ ♪

♪

♪ an ♪

[appuse] >> good night and thank you for attending the 2010 liberty

medal ceremony.

♪

[captioning performed by national ctiong institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> on "washington journal"

financial reporter for the washington post discusses predictions for retail sales this holiday season. george liebmann on youth unemployment and ways to create jobs for young people. after that, arthur radford fitch talks about the power lobbyists have in washington and how to approach members in congress when you have an issue that needs to be addressed. plus, your e-mail and phone calls. "washington journal" at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> this week marked the 47th anniversary of the assassination of president kennedy. this weekend we will talk to to a former secret service agents whose job was to protect the president on the events of that day, the conspiracy theories about the assassination, and mr. blaine's a new book, sunday night on "q&a".

>> now, an interview which jane goodall on her life's work as a conservationist and her study of chimpanzees in nature. during this event, she presented several awards to people whose work she admired over the years. held at george washington university here in washington last month, this is an hour and a half. >> it is a pleasure to welcome you to the historic auditorium for the jane goodall global leadership awards. it is a particular pleasure as well as an honor to have dr. goodall on our campus as we celebrate her extraordinary career. her early an ongoing work on primate behavior has captured the imagination of millions. she has expanded her efforts to include promoting conservation and empowering youth to strive for a better world. it is also a pleasure to congratulate the recipient of this year's global leadership awards. individually and collectively,

they embody perk values, embraces her vision, and advance our commitment to sustainability and flourishing of all life on the planet we share. here at george washington we engage the world from this nation's capital, and one of the ways we do so is by convening discussions of the most important issues of our time. our efforts to educate, enlighten, and reform are strengthened by the many partnerships we have brought the capital region, the nation, in the wod. --w w have throughout the capital region, the natio and the world. this chapter will provide our students with yet another opportunity to act on their passion for changing the world. ladies and gentlemen, to continue with the program, please join me in welcoming the esident and chief executive officer of the jane goodall institute, marina smiturine smi.

[applause] >> thank you. thank you very much where everyone. i want to welcome all of u, especially the 600 george washington universi students who snapped up tickets to this event in record time. thank you, and thank you to all of you. tonight we want this to be very informal. i would like all of you to feel relaxed. you will notice i have not rehearsed any of this to give you a unique insight to a doctor could all end or work. i also want to welcome our board of governors and board of directors. and that the staff that is here. we wanted them to please stand and be acknowledged. any jci staff that are here,

please. [applause] plea had a very long board meeting today but it was very fun. th is a great way to top of a very eventful dead. i want to briefly tell you about my history withr. godall. i have only been a home for about seven months, but i have known jane for seven years. as a child i can clearly remember sitting with my father in this very ugly blue leather chair he had, and watching her specials on national geographic. it really changed my life i said i want to work with her sunday. and i envisioned it would be working with her out in the jungles of africa, but that did not quite happen. yet my life took me into the entertainment industry and i wound up leading her six years

ago, and together as we were making documentaries. when i worked alongside of her, it really changed my life. so when the opportunity came up a few months ago to be part of her organization, i decided to make a dramatic shift in my career and joined the organization, and i could not be more thrilled. the people dedicate themselves 247 to making t plan at a better place and try to do what we can to foothill division of this incredible woman. -- the people dedicate themselves 24/7 to make the plan at a better place and try to do what we can do health this incredible woman. please join me in welcoming the one and only jane goodall. [applause]

please be seated. and hello there. >> i greeted them in a certain way, but perhaps there is another type of greeting you would like to introduce to the group. >> the kind of greeting you would hear it you came to the most wonderful national place in the world and climbed up in the mountains in the morning and helped to hear the chimpanzees squeake for the day. hello. [applause] >> may be at the end before we go, i will make the cut night call, that you hear when the chpanzees are in their nest

and they're calling back and forth across the valley. if you remind me. >> a little while ago when i was introducing myself, i talk about watching national geographic specials, and being so inspired by your work. national geographic is represented tonight. we will talk about them a little bit more shortly, but they have produced a video for tonight that encapsulates your journey with them. we are celebrating 50 years of . gododall's pioneering research. please roll the video and we will talk about afterwards. >> july 14, 1960, 26-year-old janegoodall or ride on the shoresn the coast of what is now tanzania. >> when i look at the wild d rugged jungle, i knew my path was not going to be easy.

>> she had been sent by a renowned anthropologist's who approached e national gphic society about recording her work. in she s no field expience or college dree, whathe h its determination to observe the chimpanzees with th mind uncluttered by conventional scientific methods. >> when first came to study chimpanzees, i knew nothing about them. nobody knew much about them. and >> she also has the courage to spend months in a remote, en dangerous place. getting closer to wild chimps than anyone bere her. within weeks, she is making astonishing discoveries ,chijmps : down large mammals

and eat them. and not only use tools, but make them as well. >> a chimpanzee is actually mo suited toward a specific purpose. >> when he first heard about tool using comedy got extremely excited and said now we havto redefi manod, tools to include chimpanzees with humans. >> these discoveries caught on film send national geographic into a story of corage. -- into a flurry of geographic. jane becomes a star.

she entered 11 chimpanzees become known rolled wid jane redefines science. -- s and her beloved chimpanzees become known around the worl it is what would drive her to learn as much about cmps has anyone in the world to fd out how like we really are. >> in the very early years, i thoughhow like people they work, but they seeto be much more gentlenicer. th i beme more and more apparent that cmpanzees have a dark side to tir nature. she witsses a war between the

chimpanzees that lasts four years. decades deep interest study, she studies -- she realizes the chimps are an endangered species. she decides she confessed save the creatures by leaving the jungle to speak to the world face to face about the importance of protecting the chimpanzees. >> i cannot sit back and allow them to become a 16th. and it would be an enormous black mark on the species. anthrough the natural world we d up and the situation -- [inaudible] there has to be a way of creating a bance between humans and the natural world.

it has since become a national reserves, and she set her sights on the future. she hasaunched conservation projects, humanitarian work. the jane goodall institute is promoting a new generation of conservationists. they are helping to mentor a new generation of a tendency researchers. >> i need everything i can to cheer them on. and >> 50 yes ler, she has seenhree generations of chimpanzees. the dream that jane goodall set in motion lives on, and a partnership with national geographic and 10 yearcontinues.

the october issue features a celebration of the young english girl that was pioneer ino many ways, who patiently reist acroreached across every boundao draw attention to our closest relatives. >> thank you to national geographic. [applause] take us back 50 years and tell us about how national geographic came into the picture and the impact that had and your career. >> the national geographic came into the picture because of louis leeky. he had to tackle a lot of people at the geographic that were horrified. here is this young girl from england and does not have a degree, it is potentially

dangerous, and you are asking us to fund such a ridiculous crazy expedition, but in the end, he was very persuasive said they agreed. really day impacted my life in more ways than just providing the funding to carry on with the research. they provided an me with a husband. -- they provided me with the husband's. a husband. after i've begun to really get the chimpanzees use to me and knewany of them by name, they wanted to make a film, and sold louis recommended this young photographer. i was very reluctant to disturb the chimpanzees, but he shared my passion. he ce and was patient. really and trulit was his home through the national geographic

that really took the chimpanzees into livg rooms are around the world. -- it was his film through the national jurassic that really took the champions into living rooms around the world. i will go a number of places and people will say i read about you and the national traffic. because t exposure, i cannot walk through an airport and the u.s. without at least six people coming up and wanting autographs and photographs. you ked them, and they said they read the national carrier graphic - national geographic when they were young. the editor back then actually ahead of the science research department, i cannot remember

his exact title, but whatever it was, lewis said you cannot expect jane goodall to be out there on her own and have this young photographer come out and have the two of them on their own. this is a different era. we're going back 48 years or something. he said she must have chaperones. the joke was this is the most expensive chaperon in the history. >> that is thgreat. >> we have the amazing photographs and great interview with you. do you want to talk about that article and what this means to you? >> give it to me, because it was actually going to be on the cover, but the oils billhoo spil

prompted off the cer. they're not only published in the u.s., but in many other countries. i have already seen five different country additions where the chimps did make the cover so that is nice. this is an article with david clemens. he interviewed me and i knew him before. go through the 50 years and looking at the family tree, it was a lot of massage of that went in to this article. it was reay nice to see an article back in the geographic after about 10 years, something like that. very special. >> thank you again to national geographic. one of the reasons we're here tonight is summon the people consider dr. goodall to be one of their personal heroes. it is always interesting to hear

who your heroes are. several years ago she started handing out that joan -- jane goodall global leadership awards. we would like to start off tonight with giving out the first award, and this is to the national geographic society and it is of the jane goodall global leadershipward for excellence and social responsibility, and i would like tonvite terry garcía to come up on the stage and get the award rufrom dr. goodall. [applause] >> dear craack has played a

leading role -- geographic has played a leading role. my uncle collected them from way back. in the number of houses i go to, and they say we cannot throw them away, we do not know what to do with them. >> you can get it in dvd is now. >> much easier. >> thank you so much. it has been an honor. [applause] >> i have just a few remarks. thank you. it really is an honor for national geographic to receive this award, and for us to be here tonight for this celebration. how fortunate we are that lewis was so persistent and told us so many years ago that we needed to

meet and support an amazing young woman who wanted to study chimpanzees and africa. it was quite a leap of faith, but 26 grants, 25 national geographic articles, 24 national geographic films, four books later, i think that you would agree with me that it was well worth taking. i want to s a few words about national to air-traffic. people are often surprised when i tell them it is not a media company. our mission is not to publish magazines and our mission is not to produce television programs, even though i see some of our television producers out there. sorry. when we were founded in 1988 our mission was to diffuse national geographic knowledge. that we were going to explore. we have been sending an ventris men and women to every point on the planet to exploring.

-- we have been sending adventuress men and women to every point on the planet to explore. we're stepping up the pace now. when these individuals return from the field, then we tell their stories. that has been our practice, exports to inea knowledge, communicate to disseminate that knowledge or diffuse that knowledge. lately an interesting thing has happened. we begin to ask ourselves is that enough? sometimes bowlines between reporting, educating, and advocating are less well defined and then theyight seem. sometimes this fashion that our objective it comes at a cost. reje -- sometimes this passionate of

nativity comes at a cost. that has what has happened to us and away. over the last decade with photographers, explores, scientist, hundreds of the adding to the fields there have been various crews. most without exception they have come back as committed conservationists. that is because the truth of it is of that in some in the cases things are changing. climates are changing, habats are shrinking. species are shrinking on the edge of extinction. we felt we needed to make change in our orientation. that we were going to no longer use that quaint 19th century formulation of our mission and rather now the mission to rai inspire people to care about the

planets. and we were going to use our resources to begin to focus the public's attention on some of the key problems that are confronting the planet, as well as focus othe solutions to those problems. in spite of all these problem there is reason, i believe, for optimism, and one of them is the emergence that i see of the new generation of scientists and explorers. they take their inspiration from jane goodall and all that she has accomplished, and as we speak tonight, there are men and women all over the world who are in remote places in during in some cases and the national guard ships to pursue what they think is important. most encouraging, there is many more that one to go if only they have the means. who knows, somewhere out there the is a young the visionary much like the young woman that we supported 50 years ago oho,

who has the will to make her vision become a reality. fis person will be someone who can do more than just bear witness to events, but helped to write a new story for the planet. it has been a wonderful journey with you, jane, and we look forward to the future journey that we are going to take to another. thank you very much. [applause] >> t next award is for or all of global leadership -- for overall quota for legal shippgl. i thought maybe you could tell the little bit about how you first met him and perhaps what they're doing a somewhat similar to what we do at j.g.i.

>> i cannot remember a taxi when i met to market. he is one of those people i feel like i have known forever and i simply do not remember when i first met him, but i was immediately attracted because of his passion, because of his commitment, not just going into wild places in the amazon, but to the people. and working withhe people, we have realized very clearly that if we wanted to conserve the chimpanzees or any other wildlife and the developing country where people are living very often in poverty, there is no way that conservation is going to work if you do not work with the people and help the people to leavd better lives. therefore live in a way that will be less damaging to the environment. he not only had this vision, but

he also realized that there was a tremendous knowledge, agent knowledge about the plant in the indigenous people and that knowledge was disappearing. he set up and fou the money so they can have a school. the young men were coming to learn that ancient art that otherwise would have disappeared. he also -- i loved that he was so passionate about the fact that the local people, the indigenous people, pharmaceutical companies were coming in and taking the medicinal plants and the young local people got nothing. this is happening in many places. he fought tirelessly so that people would get some and the bacmoney back.

that is what really, really appealed to me with mark. fox shia still involved in the same kinds of projects and mission. >> my notes show that he and his team work with more than 32 amazonian tribes to pursue -- improve the protection of more than 70 million acres of ancestral rainforests. pretty amazing. mark could not be with us tonight, i know his wife is an audience. we would like for her to stand and be acknowledged. there she is. thank you very much. [applause] through the wonders of technology, we do have am in the video where he did nothing to. let's roll a little tape. -- through the wonders of technology, we do have a little video where he didn'give thanks.

>> hi, i would like to begin by thanking everyone at the jane goodall institute, starting with jane goodall, t the recognition of our work. i work with conservation team in the latin america. we are all involved in this inquest. we are all involved in the same question -- challenge. this means a lot to each and everyone of us. thank you once again. [applause]

>> we have talked a little bit about the work in africa, and certainly that was the big focus of the national geographic's potential and, but we know there are things that are central to what we do at j.g.i. and that is youth. >> it does not take much to get me to talk about these issu. it began in 1991 in tanzania. it began because as i was traveling all around the world talking about the problems that we face today, i met so many young people who seem to have lost hope. they were either depressed or angry or sympathetic. when i talk to them, they all said more or less, we feel this way because we see we have compromised the future and there's nothing we can do about

it. we have a compromise the future. i mean young people and i think how we have harmed of this plan that since i was their age, and i feel a kind of desperation, but it is not true that there is nothing that can be done about it. it is about empowering young people to take action to make this world a better place. i can say it is very sad that there is nothing i can do, but to get together and realize that the power of youth is huge once e young people know the problems and are empowered to take actions. every group is choosing the three kinds of projects to make the world better, to make it better foreople for their own human community and may be raising money for the tsunami or traveling and out and seeing the problems. a project which is improving things for animals, not just wild life, domestic animals

also. and finally a project that is going to improve the environment, and of course, the imagination of young people who sit down and talk about the problems, there is always one young person who wants to help animals in every group. and there is always someone who wants to go and do community service and help people. there is always several who want to go and improved clean streams and clear a letter and things like that. every group of young people, there are young people at can fling themselves into whatever action has been decided because it is their passion. it started with high school students, 12 of them. it is now in 121 countries. we have somewhere between 16 and 18,000 active groups. they are all ages from preschool right through universities with arand new group starting in george

washington university. we actually have reduced in groups and old people's homes and wonderful groups and prisons. it is basically used driven. -- youth driven. there are lots of mentors he tonight. could you all stand up because this is the future of the planet. where are you? [applause] i have to finally said that we have 27 janeoodall institute and the parks -- in the different parts of the world, and everyone is having groups as one of its central programs, but in cour there are groups we beyond the 27 jane goodall

institute said. -- but of course there are groups beyond the 27 jane goodall institute. it is very exciting. it really is for me one of my greatest comics greatest hopes for the future. it is still growing, and any of use year are not involved, it just check our roots and shoo andshoots.org. >> tomorrow we are goi to have a workshop here on campus at amsterdam house at 11:30. you can learn all of our roots and shoots and we will have 700 participants coming here. it is a great way to see it and action in get inspired. tonight we are recognizing three particular use from our roots

and shoots program. i would like to run the video, let people see their brief acceptance speeches and we will talk about each one briefly. >> hello. thank you very much dr. jane nad j.g.i. for giving me the opportunity to be here tonight.

i beevin winning i am representing all of the youth of their roots and shoots network to we working in their communities around the globe to make the places they live in this plan as a whole lot better place. i have seen groups in my community around the planet that when anyone, no matter what their situation is put their minds to it, they can change the plan and change this world. i am proud to rpresent them all here tonight. thank you very much. >> hi. this is amazinan amazing projecd around the world. thank you. a huge blanket to the jane goodall institute. -- thank you to the jane goodall institute. thank you.

bye. >> i am from india. i am very honored to receive this award this evening. i am very thankful for the jane goodall institute for having chosen need for this it award. she has been my social inspiration and taught me that it should not stop at individual levels. [inaudible] the ne goodallnstitute in india will take shape soon. i receive this award as an encouragement to spread out more in thisountry. i am very happy i could meet all of you through this wonderful

video. i hope to see you a in india. thank you for everything, because you have made a difference not just in my life, but thousands. hope to hear you soosee you here very soon. [applae] >> tell us a little bit about why we saw in the video. take ou-- tell us about what wed the video. >> they represent other young people. what is so special about all of them like the other youth leaders that they are being inspired to make a difference, and each one of them is able to inspire others. this is how their roots and shoots program is going. we realize several years ago

when that there is no better way of growing region shue is than having these young people as ambassadors. chase is here with us tonight and he is the one the first when into schools and started talking about thisission. by selecting three out of money it was very hard and almost impossible. tousing older ones, because we do give this award out to people who are over 24th. when you find really dynamic leaders in the country that is struggling, and -- we all know the problems in india. take that tiger khaibar-1. -- take the tiger for one. it is important for the young peoplef india to provide hope.

rather than what they have actually done, i really important thing is that they're all making a very major difference send their own ways, in their own communities. they are inspiring others by spreading the message. it is my greatest hope for the future. >> we have a bit of a surprise. one of the young people featured in the video is actually here tonight. would you please come up on stage and personally get your award? [applause] ts>> the consent of few words. we look up to hear more from

you. >> we cannot get enough of you on that video. plea. nothing like putting you on the spot. >> i am still not sure why i won this award, because i am simply our representation of the youths around the globe and the roots and shoots network. every single one of us is working on simple projects on everyday actions that together are changing our communities, changing our world and altering our individual future and the future of a generation. it has been incredibly inspiring to have the opportunity to travel around the world and see duke everywhere i go working in their communities to help my future and to help the future of my children and my children's children. i know that is what keeps me going every day is seeing those usyouth out there workg in

their communities for the future. it is an honor twin this award on behalf of them. thank you. [applause] >> iould just like to say one more thing. i wish we could have had him coming up and giving a talk and you what all understand how amazing it is. one thing that really struck me that a young tanzanian told me, he was one of the first founders in 1991 and recently i asked them what it meant to him and his wife, and he said all of the usual things that changed the way she thought, that he realized he could make a difference and that it was important for him to try to make a difference, that he had met many inspirational people, that he had a lot of fun and it helps

to get him through her life, but then what he said what a really love of our roots and shoots is that i know anywhere i go in the world, even if i know, nobody, if there is a group our roots and shoots, i have my family. that to me is what it is all about. >> wonderful. part of the success is not just the young people, it is a very dedicated adults and educators who read these groups. tonight we will be acknowledging one of those in particular. would you like to talk about rick a little bit? >> key is a very special man. -- he is a very special man. this particular teacher is a very special man. and i first met him when the roots and shoots was first being introduced into the u.s. in 1993. he was teaching an alternative

high school in connecticut. it was a school where many of the kids had dropped out. there are coming from dysfunctional families and a lot of violence and drugs and gangs. he told me deaths every night he was awaiting to be woken up nt might see someone committing suicide and might be able to counsel them. -- he told me that every night was awaiting to be woken up and might se someone committing suicide and mit be able to counsel them. andmp she had been through a tremendous pain. i remember saying that he got through because of a love of his family and the fact that these students who we never thought cared would come and write him little notes and they would bring him food to eat and he was so touched by how much they cared.

he moved on, and helped us in tzania and test and -- has mentored hundreds and hundreds of roots and shoots students. he is an incredibly special, amazing person. >> we have of video of america, all we also have him in person. you can never get too much him. i would like to run the video. he is the wner of the award for excellence and education. let's run the video and then we will meet him.

[inaudible] >> jane goodall is my pasdied on the path of birds and shoots. it is an nor. [inaudible] this award means we have made things better. this means that we have reason for hope. this means that we're not alone. we all part of the struggroots d shoots program. i have always tried to be there for her and the program, en

when she has set me on double iassignments. we walk side by side and hand- in-hand, but always we finish in a circle holding hands with everyone we have met the believe doing is more important than just talking. >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome dr. rick asselta. [applause] >> he has already got his reward. you saw it in the home. -- saw it in the film. you can go and say some words. >> i did suggest that next year

has a cup so we can put some beer in that. laughter] she neglected to mention that she saved several lives of children at the alternative school, because of the sadness of their lives. when jane came and said you are so important i'm going to be here for you not just once but over andver. she wrote letters to them and encouraged them. there i no better role model on this planet than jane. [applause] from my teacher's perspective, roots and shoots has an credible amount of compassion, knowledge, action, and that has been the model that we follow because you can he all the compassion in the world, but if you do not know what you're doing, you could really mess

things up. not only has she met emotional needs, but she has met the educational needs and encourage young people to be the best they can be in every way you can think of. they do so much. -- thank you so much. [applause] >> so at some of you were not watching college football this past saturday, you may ha been watching the sundance channel. it was a great defense for us here at the jane goodall institute because it was an episode of them over the summer with jane and charlize therron. she had always been a hero of charlize. we thout it would be a tremendous opportunity to show the world's a facility that we erate in condo.

perhaps you can tell people a little bit more about this and we will talk about your building with chfilming with charlize. >> all of the chimpanzees are there because their mothers were shot. some of the older chimpanzees, their mothers were shocked fourth allied animal trade and they were rescued froas pets, bt most come in as little the stems of of thebuse bush meat trade. this is made possible b the foreign lager companies going into foreign places and making roads. even if they practice sustainable bloggin taking out the big trees, they make their roads and along come the road come the hunters. the issue of everything.

-- they shoot everything. anything that they can track into the town where the urban elitewill pay more for it than they would for a piece of chicken or coat. these little orphans -- in the old days they would shoot the mother along with the baby. that is your mail for the future. now it is the money so you shoot the mother and then what you do with the baby? i can still remember the first time i saw an infant chimpanzee sale in the marketplace. it is one of the saddest things i have ever seen. he was curled up in a tiny little keheap , and was sweatin. i thought he was very close to death.

i made the very soft greeting that you make very close up. to my amazement he sat up and reach out and touched my face. i could not ave him there, so fortunately the american ambassador enabled us to confiscate that baby, because it was against the wall. that little chimp is now in condo. -- congo. as i said, there are over 140 chimpanzee's there. we desperately are seeking funding to get them into better conditions on to the three islands we have been able to have the use of and pay the fishermen who were campaign there's a islands will be freed up. now we have to raise the money for the infrastructure.

it is desperately important that we do this, because the big it chimpanzees are able to escape easily from the electric fences. they are so clever. they can short it and put branches up. one is so clever he has had to be incarcerated in a dissent and enclosure because it is too unsafe to let him out. we did not let the film crew go pinto part of this sanctuary. it thought it would be really nice to meet the baby chimpanzees and go out in the forest every day and play. that is totally adorable. she melted. >> the equipment they have is basically human playground equipment to ay on.

with the acquisition of these three islands we are able to get them as adding to live a play and pride in as chimpanzee should. we can put specific groups on that the island so they get along well and by size and attitude we can know who is there. chimpanzees do not swim, so it is a place where we do not need a fence around the area and yet we can have the veterinarians that we have and other staff go there in boats and provide them with the food and services they need. at some point we hope it will give people a chce to see chimpanzees in their natural habitat on these islands. it is something we're very excited about. i think a lot of people might be interested to know that although she and a crew or want to go back to the hotel, she and you hit it off so well she asked if she could camp with you in the same camp area over night and just get a camera crews away and

just sit and tell stories by the fire and get to know each other. i am sure there would be a lot of people curious as to what the conversaons were when the cameras were turned off. >> we talked about her childhood a lot, because she grew up in south africa and grew up in a poor family. we exchanged stories because i grew at an up stanley where everything you hadther is and what you needed was a treat. -- everything you had other than what you needed was as treat. we had a lot in common. she is very passionate abou wildlife and animals. hoppeit was a very lovely eveni. she actually cooked the food. it was not that wonderful. [laughter]

it was some kind of cospasta. we tease her a lot, but everyone was hungry. [laughter] she had a fantastic film crew with her. everyone worked as a team. i hope this will really get the message out there that this is a place that really need help, but also we should make clear it is not just looking after the orphaned chimpanzees, it is also involved in many of the local people. we are definitely improving their ecomy. we buy all the food for the chimpanzees from the nearby villages. weave started a program like ours to take care program to improve their lives in different kinds of ways with new farming

mechanisms and helping to build schools and encourage the government to build roads. of course they're all very excited. there's no question that j.g.i. has made a difference in the whole area. we are not there just for the chimpanzees. and if we do not help the people, the chimpanzees will be continued to bkilled. everything is interconnected. some people might be under the impression we can take them in and let them out into the wild, but that is not the case to go first of all, the chimpanzee in debt taken from its mother, you have to really make sure they learn how to behave like chimpanzees. they have to learn, because i like our children they are not born with the seventh instinct that tells them you go out and the bush and climbed the tree like this and fi for instance like that. you interact with others in this

particular way and this geure means that. and have to learn. they learn by watching and imitating as well as trial and error. . .

in the meantime, these islands are a really good solution, for the moment. >> and that is why charlieze was very moved by the experience. you touched on that she is from thee area, but she also has a group that she is involved in it there. you considered giving her an award tonight because she is the real deal. she really backs up what she says. she ivery passiate about this and she is also willing to help us get the island funded and do other things. she can use her celebrity to help us, and she has been a great friend to the institute.

the reward -- the award she is getting is the award for responsible activism. she could not be here tonight -- i know my husband was very disappointed in that. [laughter] she could not be here because she is filming location, but she did use a hand-held camera to tell you a special message. take a look. ♪ >> thank you so much, jane.

hello, everyone. i am so sorry i cannot be there today, but i want to say thank you for this award to everyone at the jane goodall institute. i do not know that i am quite worthy. i just want to say that being able to spend a couple of days with jane and changed my life and has inspired me to want to do so much more with my african outreach program. i think we both have a great belief in this idea, and i think that this world be longs to the generation of youth, and that they have to start acting like it and take responsibility for it. jane, you are inedible. i love you so much. you are so much more than words can ever articulate. i accept this award very humbly, thank you very, very

much. [applause] >> we have a little friend on the table here, and people may not know the story of our little friends. could you tell it? >> i do not know if anybody noticed him. age. is mr. pa he is 15-years old. he is almost all -- almost bald because he is loved so much. this was given to me by an extraordinary man named gary

horn, one of my many heroes. perry went blind when he was 21. he was in the u.s. marines. when he was rehabilitated, he decided that he uld like to be a musician -- a magician. people told him he could not be a good magician if he could not see. he said, i could try. he is so glad that the children do not know he is blind. -- he is so good that the children do not know he is blind. i have watched him. he is amazing. when he is finished with this act,e will turn to the children and tell them he is blind. he will say, things may go wrong in that your life, but you must never give up because there is always a way forward. he has done things like skydiving and climbing mt.

kilimanjaro. he gave me mr h. for my birth date 15 years ago. he happened to think he w giving me a stuffed chimpanzee. -- i haveen hemp's taken him many places and used him to teach. he told me to take him wherever i go because then his spirit would always be with me. he has been touched by 3 million people or more. do not know how he has survived. most people are gentle, but not always. a rather boisterous style tried to pull his head off. there is a mark here. the if you touch hemp's

inspiration of garhorne rubs off. he is very special. he is my mascot. >> i the privilege of meeting him recently at the hampton film festival, where the u.s. premiere of jane's journey played. it is unlike any film i have seen before. it documents not only her history, but our present day, going from one location to the next and discussing her mission with people of all kinds, spreading the word. we do having c-span here tonight, and i wanted to thank them for coming here. there is no theatrical distribution afford james a journey, but if you go to o website -- for "jane's

journey," but if you go to our website, you can learn more about it. anything else about mr. h that you would like people to note? >> v h stands for hope. if i have a mission in life, it is giving people hope. if our children lose hope, there is no hope without hope, why wld you bother? what is the point? hope is really, really important. you could pretend to have hopes, but would anyone believe you? >> wonderful. we have hope because of you.

thank you. now, this is something i am really excited about. quite often when changes interviewed, she gets standard questions, but every once in awhile someone will grow in a zinger that we did not see coming. we have gathered together some of those questions and some she has never been asked before, probably. this will also give us a chance to see more of jane's humourin. i can tell you honestly that she is a riot. she has very devilish sense of humor. started. ok, now i am in control. [laughter] jane, who is your dream date?

it is a bit like who would you have dinner with, isn't it? >> it depends on what your dream date is. [laughter] >> well then, my dream date, tarzan, of course. [laughter] [applause] >> you would slip in against that other jane. >> that wimpy jane. when i was 10, i was so jealous of that jane. i have to say that my mother saved up -- i said we did not have any money, but she saved movie ande me to a

after about 10 mutes i burst into tears. i said that was not tarzan. i had read the books. i have always turned it down hollywood movies. i have been approached before by hollywood wanting people like shirley's perron to be me. but i am me. -- like charlieze theron to be me. but i am me. >> what does jane goodall like to do for fun? >>un is when you are really relaxed and can just be silly and tell stories. it to me, that is really fun. being back with my family, my sister and her family, my son.

you have fun when you are with family and good friends. >> what is your drink of choice? >> whisky. [laughter] [applause] >> sorry, i you call it scott. scotch whiskey. without ice. but a little bit of water. the other is coffee. >> i have heard that you have an interesting way of making coffee when you are traveling. >> i do. i like to b self-contained. when you travel 300 days a year -- often, hotel coffee is not very nice. it is wishing washy. it is like drinking taea.

so i like to take my coffee with me. we have coffee from the mountains. it is from above the hills in, africa. we have purchased this specialty brand and it has allowed us to give the farmers more money, more than they ever dreamed of, a fair price trade. that is why the farmers have now agreed to put their land in such a way that it is forming a buffer.

so coffee has done that. so, coffee is really important. but a king. -- but ok. unhappy coffee -- i have coffee and i put it into one of those boilers where the coils boil the water. coffee machines in hotels are afraid of being sued if they boil the water en though it would be your stupid fault if you got hurt. so then, you get your pantyhose, andyou put that in a couplup, you let it filtered through, and the coffee is perfect after starring in it.

and then you wash out to the pantyhose and you can put them on again. [laughter] >>lways thinking recycling. the green mountain coffee is one of the select products we have deemed worthy of our version of the good housekeing seal of approval which is the jane goodall good for all brand it is only when the local communities are really benefiting from our partners being there, and i hope to see more and more. wholefoods market has been a big supporter of hours and carries quite a bit of our products there. it is nice to know that when you go in to buy something with the good for all brand, you are supporting us to some degree, we get it portion of the proceeds, but really the people on the ground. i want to ask you about cooking because i just heard about coffee. what movie do you watch when you

want to laugh? >> i do not often watch movies, let me say that. sometimes when i am in england with my sister or we watch movies. one that always makes me laugh is eddie murphy in the "trading places." it always makes me laugh. >> what was your most embarrassing moment while on a lecture tour? >> probably when we had one of the very first gala events and my mother, who is no longer with us now, i came over, and she had this very nice barrett. my mother never really had a waste -- she had this very nice skirt. my mother never really had a

ist. we were gathered around having scott together -- scotch together, maybe 10 of us, and we had pulled chairs around so that we could sit in a nice group and tell stories. when she got up in as grand a way as she could, she told us she was going to bed and as she walked away from us, her skirt fell down. if she had a nice petticoat underneath. [laughter] >> you are in great shape. what is your exercise regime? >> in no time. >> so how do you stay in such a great shape? >> seriously, giving a lecture uses just about every muscle in

your body. you may not move, but you're using your whole body to give a lecture. walking through airports, lugging cases. i try to go up the stairs in hotels. but these days, because of security, you go huffing up 10 at floors and then you cannot open the door. i try to walk when i can. we are in the same house where i was as a child. >> same house? do you want to tell people abo that? >> it was a house that belonged to my grandmother. my grandfather became a successful surgeon and he bought the house. we got the house because of him. it has a lovely garden.

it h always had so many of the family in it that it sometimes seemed too small. it has a nice garden where you can climb and see o about africa. it is where i would climb and do my homework. when i was told i had to have my tonsils out and i really did not like the thought of going to hospital, i climbed up to the top and would not come down. i did in the end. funnily enough, i never got my tonsils taken out because it was a polio epidemic. it was michael -- michy uncle wo said that i had to wait because a sore throat is a very easy way

for the polio virus to infect you. i was inspected when i lost my voice once from talking too much in lectures in your nose and throat specialist. he said, i see you haveour tonsils out. i said, no, i never did. they are gone. they are not there anymore. [laughter] >> it is the coffee. [laughter] >> if you were stuck on a deserted island, who would you rather be there with, tarzan or doctor doolittle? >> we have already said tarzan, because he is my date. but actually, i would not be keen on either of them if i could not have a dog. that comes buyers. on my island, i will need to have a dog -- that comes first.

on my island, i will need to have a dog. dr. doolittle like animals because he could not deal with people anymore, so he would probably agree to have a dog. >> could you talk about your research? >> when i came to cambridge, i did not have a degree. i was told there was no time to mess with a bachelor's degree it. remember, i had not gone to college. i had to go for a phd. i had all of this information available, and i really dinot know how to use it. i wanted to make dr. leakey proud of me. it was a pretty good shot to be to that i had done everything wrong, that chimpanzees should not have names, they should have numbers. but i should not talk aut

personality or emotions because those are unique to us. it is eyeingery -- their i am , a very naive, but i aive- tere i am , very nice but i stuck my neck out because i remembered that my dog had taught me that animals do feel emotion. since there are college students here, let me tellou. i had a wonderful supervisor, one of my toughest critics at the start, who came to africa and said two weeks there told him maurer then his life of research put together.

-- more than his life of research put together. he met fifi to love to this little baby and always wanted to touch him. any time another animal approached, fifi would brush them away. he said she could not be jealous because i could not prove it. i was sure she was, so what should i say? he said, she gave in such a way that had she been a human child we would say she was jealous. we would say she was jealous.