HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON 2013 Liberty Medal Recipient
2013 Liberty
Medal Recipient
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former Secretary of State
Former Secretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clinton was awarded the 2013 Liberty Medal in
recognition of her lifelong career in public service and for her ongoing
advocacy efforts on behalf of women and girls around the globe. Secretary
Clinton was honored with the prestigious award during the 25th annual Liberty
Medal ceremony on September 10, 2013 at the National
Constitution Center on Independence Mall in Historic Philadelphia.
Throughout her nearly four-decade career
as one of America’s
most dedicated public servants, Secretary Clinton has continued to champion
equal opportunities for women and girls in order to advance the security and
prosperity of all people and nations. As the 67th Secretary of State, Clinton broke national and
global barriers. She was the first First Lady to serve in a presidential
Cabinet. She traveled to more countries than any other Secretary of State. She
used social media to engage citizens in the workings of diplomacy, and she paid
an official visit to Burma,
making her the highest U.S.
representative to do so in half a century. As Secretary of State, Clinton advocated for
“smart power” in foreign policy, elevating diplomacy and development and
repositioning them for the 21st century—with new tools, technologies, and
partners, including the private sector and civil society around the world.
“Former Secretary Clinton has dedicated
her life to serving and engaging people across the world in democracy,” said
National Constitution Center Chairman Governor Jeb Bush. “These efforts as a
citizen, an activist, and a leader have earned Secretary Clinton this year’s
Liberty Medal.”
“The Liberty Medal recognizes individuals
who have furthered the ideals of freedom, democracy, and equality, often
against great odds,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO
Jeffrey Rosen. “Hillary Clinton has devoted her life to expanding opportunities
for ‘We the People’ not just in this country but around the globe.”
“Hillary Clinton’s lifelong commitment and
sense of civic duty is admirable and a reminder of the importance of actively
participating in our democracy,” said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett. “The
Liberty Medal is another defining moment in a lifetime of moments for the
former Secretary of State and is justly deserved.”
“As a life-long public servant, elected
official, advocate and civic leader, Hillary Clinton has championed critical
issues which she passionately cares about, collaborated with colleagues across
the political spectrum, and worked on behalf of every American,” said
Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “She is a most deserving addition to the
list of renowned men and women who have been awarded the Liberty Medal. I am
thrilled the National
Constitution Center
has chosen to honor her contributions and achievements.”
Hillary Rodham Clinton served as the 67th
Secretary of State of the United
States from January 21, 2009 until February
1, 2013, after nearly four decades in public service as an advocate, attorney,
First Lady, and Senator.
As First Lady, Hillary Clinton advocated
for universal affordable, quality health care and led successful bipartisan
efforts to improve the adoption and foster care systems, reduce teen pregnancy,
and establish both the Children's Health Insurance Program and Early Head
Start, which provides support for children in the crucial first three years of
life.
She also traveled to more than 80
countries as a representative of our country, winning respect as a champion of
human rights, democracy, civil society, and opportunities for women and girls
around the world.
In 2000, Clinton made history as the first First Lady
elected to the United States Senate. She worked across party lines to expand
economic opportunity and access to quality, affordable health care, including
for wounded service members, veterans and members of the National Guard and
Reserves. After September 11, 2001, she helped secure more than $20 billion for
the rebuilding of New York
and fought for the health needs of first responders who risked their lives at
Ground Zero.
In 2007 and 2008, Clinton
made her historic campaign for President of the United States, winning 18 million
votes, and more primaries and delegates than any woman had before.
In her four years as Secretary of State, Clinton played a central role in restoring America’s
standing in the world and strengthening its global leadership. Her "smart
power" approach to foreign policy elevated American diplomacy and
development and repositioned them for the 21st century—with new tools,
technologies, and partners, including the private sector and civil society
around the world. As America's
chief diplomat and the President's principal foreign policy adviser, Clinton spearheaded progress on many of our greatest
national security challenges, from reasserting the United
States as a Pacific power and imposing crippling
sanctions on Iran and North Korea to responding to the challenges and
opportunities of the Arab Awakening and negotiating a ceasefire in the Middle East. She pushed the frontiers of human rights and
demonstrated that giving women the opportunity to participate fully is vital to
the security, stability, and prosperity of all nations.
Today, Clinton continues to build on the nonprofit
work she began nearly four decades ago through the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea
Clinton Foundation, which works to improve global health, strengthen economies,
promote health and wellness, and protect the environment by fostering
partnerships among businesses, governments, nongovernmental organizations, and
private citizens.
The Liberty Medal was established in 1988
to commemorate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. Given annually, the
medal honors men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings
of liberty to people around the globe. The Liberty Medal was first administered
by the National Constitution
Center in 2006, when Presidents George
H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton were honored for their bipartisan humanitarian
efforts on behalf of the victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia and the
hurricanes on the Gulf
Coast.
Last year’s medal was awarded to Muhammad
Ali. Other past Liberty Medal winners include Nelson Mandela, Shimon Peres,
Kofi Annan, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, former Prime Minister Tony Blair,
former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, and Bono. The Medal also has
been awarded to organizations, including Doctors Without Borders and CNN
International. Six recipients of the Medal subsequently have won the Nobel
Peace Prize.
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary
Rodham Clinton was the secretary of state for the Barack Obama
administration, is married to William J. Clinton,
and a member of the Clinton Global Initiative.
Note: William
J. Clinton is married to Hillary Rodham Clinton,
the founding chairman for the Clinton Global Initiative,
a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and was
the chairman for the National Constitution
Center.
George H.W.
Bush is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative,
a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society,
and the chairman emeritus for the National
Constitution Center.
George Soros
is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative,
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society, and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.
Foundation
to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the International Rescue Committee, Common Cause, and the Committee for Economic Development.
Open
Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic
Council of the United States
(think tank).
Henry
Louis Gates Jr. was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a trustee at the National Constitution Center.
Mary M.
Boies is a director at the International
Rescue Committee, and married to David
Boies.
David Boies
is married to Mary M. Boies, and a
trustee at the National Constitution Center.
Richard
Dreyfuss is a governing board member for Common
Cause, and was a trustee at the National
Constitution Center.
Ellen
Alemany is a trustee at the Committee for
Economic Development, and a trustee at the National Constitution Center.
Benjamin
W. Heineman Jr. is a trustee at the Committee
for Economic Development, and was a trustee at the National Constitution Center.
Anthony
C. Zinni is a director at the Atlantic
Council of the United States
(think tank), and was a trustee at the National Constitution Center.
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