09 November 2006
U.S. Olympic Skater Named American Public Diplomacy Envoy
Michelle Kwan is tapped to establish dialogue with youth in China, elsewhere
Washington -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice named champion figure skater Michelle Kwan the first American public diplomacy envoy November 9.
Kwan, 26, is the most competitively successful figure skater in U.S. history, winning five world championships, nine national championships and two Olympic medals. A native of California and the child of Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong, Kwan speaks Cantonese and Mandarin. In her new post, she will travel around the world to engage youth in a dialogue on the importance of education, positive health practices and respect for diversity.
Rice said one of Kwan’s goals as the first American public diplomacy envoy is to increase understanding of America’s people and culture. Rice added that Kwan has a particular interest in traveling to China.
Kwan has “captivated the imaginations of people everywhere with her personal story, a story that is deeply an American story,” Rice said. “I am pleased that she is devoting her good name and her patriotism to help further our nation's public diplomacy efforts.”
“I am honored to accept this appointment and to serve my country,” Kwan said at the State Department ceremony. “As an athlete, I have always been proud to represent the United States around the world. Being able to do so in this new position is very special and meaningful to me.”
Kwan said she spoke with Rice about traveling first to China, possibly in January 2007, although details still are being worked out. Kwan has relatives in Beijing and Hong Kong and has been to Asia many times.
Sports diplomacy is important because athletics appeal to young people and can bring people together despite differences of region, race or religion, said Under Secretary of State for Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes at the press conference.
“Sports teach leadership, teamwork, respect for rules and respect for one another,” Hughes said. “To succeed in sports requires practice, discipline and determination.”
Kwan can help young people discover how success in athletics can be translated into the development of life skills and achievement in the classroom, Hughes said.
“Many of the lessons that I’ve learned in order to become a successful athlete are universal concepts that others can benefit from as well. Things like dedication, setting a goal and achieving it, the importance of teamwork, the realization that sometimes you are going to fail and that you need to keep trying, and respect for others,” Kwan said. “I look forward to sharing my personal story with others and showing them how they can go about achieving their own goals and success.”
As an envoy, Kwan will travel overseas to visit youth organizations and schools, speaking about her personal experience and engaging with local youth, Rice said. Kwan also will participate in meetings and conferences focused on expanding opportunities for young girls in education and sports.
Kwan began skating at the age of 5; by the age of 7, she had won her first figure skating competition. She is the author of two books about her experiences, The Winning Attitude! and My Special Moments.
Other American athletes have traveled around the world as State Department sports envoys under the auspices of the department’s CultureConnect program to conduct specific sports clinics. These include Bernie Williams of the New York Yankees baseball team and Jim Jackson of the Phoenix Suns basketball team. Rice said the department currently is reaching out to athletes and cultural figures to serve as additional American public diplomacy envoys. (See related notices on Williams and Jackson.)
For any region, Hughes said, star athletes are a “powerful source of national pride and solidarity.”
Kwan announced in September that she would not compete in the 2006-2007 skating season so that she could finish her studies as a full-time undergraduate at the University of Denver in Colorado, Rice’s alma mater, where Kwan is concentrating on political science and international affairs. Kwan continues to perform in skating exhibitions.
The skater said that, by meeting and interacting with young people around the world, she hopes to allow them “to see, firsthand, the positive things that America stands for and ultimately help bring people and countries closer together.”
