Ambassador Barrett’s Remarks at the 4th of July Celebration
(as prepared)
Good afternoon, honored guests:
- His Excellency Claude Wiseler, President of the Chamber of Deputies
- His Excellency Luc Frieden, Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
- General Thull
- members of the diplomatic corps
- …government and business community, press, and civil society,
- …our generous sponsors, without whom today’s event would not have been possible,
- dear friends…
Kris and I are honored to welcome you all to this year’s Independence Day celebration. This year’s theme “Trailblazers and Pioneers,” gives us the chance to reflect on the shared history of Luxembourg and the United States.
In the mid 1800’s thousands of Luxembourgers traveled across the Atlantic to settle in the heartland of America, including my home state of Wisconsin. Their hard work and creativity transformed the land and shaped the communities that thrive today. As a Wisconsinite, I am so grateful for their contributions. Their pioneering spirit created a strong bridge connecting Luxembourg and the United States. And it is especially meaningful to celebrate their legacy with all of you here today.
Just as Luxembourgers were pioneers in America, American trailblazers also left a very special mark on Luxembourg’s history. This year we mark the 80th anniversary of Luxembourg’s liberation during World War II. This has a personal meaning for me because my mother lost her first husband in the Battle of the Bulge and my own father served in Europe as a navigator during the war. So, marking this year is particularly close to my heart.
Five years after WWII ended, Luxembourg and the United States became true pioneers together. Pioneers for peace as two of the original architects of NATO.
Without a doubt, the NATO Alliance has created the conditions for unprecedented peace in Luxembourg and on this continent. In fact, this is one of the longest periods of peace, prosperity, and stability that Luxembourg has enjoyed in hundreds of years. NATO deserves much credit for that.
So why is this so important? One week from today, leaders will gather for NATO’s 75th anniversary in Washington. This will be one of the most important NATO summits in decades because Allies will advance NATO’s most robust collective defense plans since the end of the Cold War. We all know that the world faces unprecedented challenges. We also know that the outcome of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine will have significant effects on the future of the NATO Alliance and global peace.
There is no doubt that NATO serves as a deterrent to Russian aggression. But we must be careful not to plan for a previous war. No one thinks Russia’s tanks will be rolling down Boulevard Royal, but the threat is very real here too — flights being affected by GPS spoofing, satellites being jammed, disinformation online — meant to degrade our democracies.
I am so proud that our NATO Allies recognize these threats are and are investing in NATO to respond. 23 out of 32 Allies now meet the 2% defense spending target. It is great to see that Luxembourg too has recognized the importance of meeting its NATO commitments and is developing a plan to reach that goal. Mr. President, Prime Minister, the United States looks forward to working with you and your government to achieve this.
I would now like to talk briefly about another pioneer. You may have noticed that the street outside our Embassy has been renamed to mark Pride Month. It honors James Hormel, the first openly gay U.S. Ambassador who served here only 25 years ago. Hormel was a brave advocate for LGBTQI+ rights, dedicating his life to equality and dignity for all. I am deeply grateful to the City of Luxembourg for this heartfelt gesture, which reminds us of the progress possible when we stand for justice and inclusion.
We all know that Immigrants, soldiers, and activists are pioneers, but I want to close by recognizing another group of people we don’t always think of as pioneers – students.
Educational and cultural exchange programs are crucial to enhancing our collective future. And it’s not easy for a young person to fly across the ocean for the first time to study.
Fortunately, there are programs to help. This year, we are particularly thankful for the Ministry of Education’s increased support to the Fulbright program, our flagship educational exchange program. We are eager to expand our partnership to prepare the next generation to thrive in our interconnected world.
Prime Minister Frieden, who studied in the United States as a Fulbright scholar, truly embodies the power of these programs and serves as an inspiration for future pioneers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Each of us here today carries the torch of the pioneers and trailblazers who came before us. Still, there is no doubt that our world needs new pioneers today, pioneers for peace…
Peace is something we must actively create and nurture. Peace is a precondition for everything else we enjoy.
A precondition for our economic prosperity.
A precondition for our cultural richness.
And a precondition for our individual happiness.
The peace and prosperity we have enjoyed for the last 75 years is something we’ve created together. We must preserve it.
Happy Independence Day! Thank you!
