Kickoff for
12th Annual Volleyball Tournament at the U.S. Embassy
Address by Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman
Friday, September 17, 2004
17 September 2004
OFFICIAL TEXT
Remarks by U.S.
Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman at the Kickoff for 12th Annual Volleyball
Tournament at the U.S. Embassy Awkar U.S. Embassy - as prepared for
delivery.
September 17, 2004
(Begin text)
Mr.
Minister,
Members of the Volleyball Committee,
U.S. Embassy Volleyball Club players and guests,
Embassy colleagues:
As most of you know,
I have only recently arrived in Lebanon to serve as the U.S.
Ambassador. Throughout the weeks that I've been here, I have
discovered what so many of my predecessors have experienced: The
warmth, openness and generosity of the Lebanese people.
I received many
briefings in Washington D.C. in preparation for my work as
Ambassador. I learned about the commercial linkages between our two
countries--about the educational and cultural exchanges. I was
briefed on political and economic issues. But in all these
briefings, my State Department colleagues never mentioned to me that
the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon claims a championship volleyball team!
And I've learned from
the club president Assad Al-Nakhel [the Fox] that the U.S. Embassy
Volleyball Club has a long history-and a string of brilliant
successes on the court.
This year, the U.S.
Embassy hosts its 12th annual tournament. As many of you know, the
U.S. Embassy Volleyball Club was established in 1993, and has
steadily progressed to higher and higher levels of play-becoming the
Beirut champion in 1997, runner up in Division B in 1999 and the
Division B champion in 2001. And this year, your dream came true:
the U.S. Embassy Volleyball Club moved up to the First League
Division in 2004. After 705 games you have achieved your goal! Alf
mabrouk. All of us at the U.S. Embassy are proud that our club is
one of the twelve best volleyball teams in the country.
But winning is not
the most important. What is most important is playing together and
having a good time. Your club motto underscores the secret of your
success and can inspire us all: "Strength in unity; success in
cooperation." This is what makes me most proud of the U.S. Embassy
Volleyball Club. You embody the core values of United States-ideals
upon which we built our country-and which we endeavor to share with
others around the world. Your success as a team of people with
different backgrounds and beliefs comes through your commitment to a
common goal-to perform to the best of your abilities. You embody the
importance of justice and fair play and the importance of treating
both winners and losers with equal dignity and respect.
A great American
college basketball coach once said, "Sports do not build character.
They reveal it." The U.S. Embassy Volleyball Club says a lot about
who we are at the U.S. Embassy and what we consider important.
Sports are an
important American tradition. Millions of Americans share a passion
for sports-as participants, spectators and fans. Around our country
you will see people of all ages, in schools and colleges, enjoying
pick up basketball games on the streets, baseball games on sandlots
and improvised soccer games in public parks and in local clubs of
great diversity--all sharing an enthusiasm for every kind of sport
imaginable.
I'm glad sports are
part of our U.S. Embassy tradition here in Lebanon and look forward
to not only the volleyball games, but also the mini football and
demonstration of Kung Fu and Shield and Sword. May the best players
win, but more importantly, may you all-players and spectators-have
fun! |
