PRESS RELEASES
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!
(end text)
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