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![Hillary Clinton protagoniz\u00f3 el \u201cForo Digital Abierto de Las Am\u00e9ricas\" en FUNGLODE](\"\/Portal\/noticias\/hillary3_65.jpg\")
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T<\/SPAN>he United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, led the \u201cOpen Digital Forum for the Americas\u201d in the auditorium of the Fundaci\u00f3n Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) last Friday. For approximately one hour, she shared her comments on topics linked to US foreign policy with about one hundred people at the FUNGLODE installations. <\/P> \u201cWe are all Americans no matter where we are from. Maybe we speak different languages, have different historical experiences and customs but we share this hemisphere and our future will be what we all determine it to be.\u201d <\/P> Dominican President Leonel Fern\u00e1ndez and the First Lady Margarita Cede\u00f1o were special guests at the activity which took place in English and Spanish and was transmitted on live television for the whole country and by Internet for the whole world through various platforms and social networks. Students, academics, international analysts, lawyers, businesspeople, salespeople as well as representatives from different levels of Dominican society were present. <\/P> On a stage that was converted into a television studio, Clinton appeared in an activity that is a normal occurrence in several of the countries but which, on this occasion, offered the general public and the Western hemisphere the possibility of having a dialogue and receive commentaries on topics linked to the agenda of the 5th Summit of the Americas, such as the promotion of human prosperity, energy security, sustainable environment and the situation in Haiti. <\/P> Clinton was enthusiastic about the idea of sharing the space with a culture with which she became close to during her term as US Senator from the state of New York. \u201cWe are all Americans no matter where we are from. Maybe we speak different languages, have different historical experiences and customs but we share this hemisphere and our future will be what we all determine it to be.\u201d <\/P> Clinton stressed the mood for dialogue and listening that would be demonstrated by the US government at the summit in Trinidad and Tobago which began last Friday and ended on April 19th. \u201cThe United States is prepared to listen to the ideas and concerns of our friends and allies and we are committed to work with you so that we can increase the prosperity and security of our people. Instead of talking about progress toward economic profitability, we have to improve the quality of life of our citizens.\u201d <\/P> Three Main Themes <\/STRONG><\/P> In her opinion, it is these moments of crisis that the Obama administration should look outside its borders. \u201cOur future is linked to the other countries in the hemisphere,\u201d said Clinton who added that her government has made a commitment to increase its investment in Latin America and the Caribbean by 17%. \u201cIt is an investment for a future we can all build together in many areas.\u201d <\/P> Her speech at FUNGLODE centered on three themes which the countries gathered in Trinidad dealt with together: education, food security and violence. In the first topic, Clinton recognized that every country has its individual needs \u201cand we have to work on it but it is essential to invest in education which is the pillar of economic progress.\u201d At this moment she referred to the $30 million dollars to be used for educational projects in the US zone. \u201cWe are looking all over the place for the best practices, observing how they function in each place and how not to do the same thing over and over again. We have to learn from each other, encourage each other\u2019s good ideas.\u201d <\/P> In terms of food security, Hillary Clinton said the recession has made it much more difficult and that the poor have seriously difficult survival problems. \u201cIt is about putting food on the table or nothing. Our hemisphere produces plenty of food but there is hunger in places where people live on less than one dollar per day. The consequences of this hunger is seen in our schools, workplaces, everywhere.\u201d For that reason, she emphasized that the lack of \u201cfood security poses a direct threat to economic growth and world security.\u201d <\/P> Referring to the Obama Administration\u2019s commitment to double its food aid, Clinton said \u201cour goal is to get to the root of the problem. We must sustain production and distribution and see what is to be done to make use of the advantages of agriculture to generate economic growth.\u201d <\/P> She introduced the third theme as \u201cpossibly\u201d the most important. \u201cIt is difficult to get out of poverty if there is no security and safety in one\u2019s surroundings. People cannot make advances without improving public safety, without putting an end to all types of violence including violence in the home.\u201d She cited violence generated by drug trafficking as a priority. She confirmed that the United States should deal with its own demand for drugs. \u201cThere are many young people in Latin America and the Caribbean who possess the incredible power to put an end to the drug trafficking that is threatening their safety and their people. The United States is going to support a summit for young people to combat violence.\u201d <\/P> The former NY Senator defended the use of new technology \u201cto unite the voices against drug traffickers, to intimidate them, with all the social groups united together.\u201d She made it clear though that it is not just against the drug trafficker that technology can be used but \u201calso against local crime, governmental corruption and domestic violence. We need to share information to work together, learn together\u2026and act together.\u201d <\/P> Ending her speech, she mentioned the request she\u2019d made several hours earlier in a private meeting with President Leonel Fern\u00e1ndez in which she asked him to become a bridge between leaders of Central America and the Caribbean \u201cto help build a better future. But it is the people who decide the type of progress they want, if they are going to conform or become active, if they are going to be on the side of corruption or not. I would like to see a hemisphere where everyone is working together, where all boys and girls can fulfill their God-given potential. I hope I can count on you to achieve this.\u201d <\/P> The event ended with a question and answer session which had been done previously through the webpage of the forum. <\/P> <\/P>
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