speeches
Berlin-American Club
Ambassador William R. Timken and Sue Timken
Berlin
December 5, 2005
Ambassador Timken: Sue and I are delighted to be here. I’m sure she can tell you herself how proud she is to be involved with such a wonderful organization as the Berlin-American Club, an organization designed to encourage friendship and mutual understanding through projects that benefit the needy. And I am proud to be here to support her.
Representing the United States in Germany as Ambassador is both an honor and a pleasure. Since arriving in August, Sue and I have talked to many interesting and generous people in our travels throughout this country. We have met people from all levels of German society and from all walks of life. As a result of all these meetings with government officials and regular citizens, I have become convinced that the German-American relationship is vital, healthy, and strong. We can look forward with confidence to a partnership of positive cooperation as we move into the twenty-first century. There is much to be done in the world.
The United States, as many of you know, has a great tradition of private charitable giving. The philosophy behind this tradition is that private fundraising, private donations, and voluntary individual contributions are at the core of humanitarian efforts to address social needs. In America, we don’t wait for the government to intervene. In America, individuals and groups roll up their sleeves and get started as soon as tragedy or disaster strikes. After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, and the levees in New Orleans gave way, it was amazing to see how many people volunteered to head south to lend a hand.
But, of course, help came not just from volunteers and donors in the United States. Many, many people from around the world gave what they could, in America’s time of need. And here we are profoundly thankful to the German people for their contributions to the various relief projects undertaken to aid the people of New Orleans.
More recently, both Germany and the United States are proving once again how generous they are in providing badly needed relief aid to the earthquake victims in South Asia.
Human beings caring for fellow human beings. That’s the bottom line.
Thank you for inviting us to this festive holiday event!
Mrs. Timken: Dear Friends in the Berlin-American Club,
As the Ambassador already mentioned, we are delighted to be here this afternoon. The holiday season is not only a time for joyous celebrations, but also a time to think about our fellow humans who are in need.
I find it very refreshing that the Berlin-American Club is involved with so many worthwhile charities, doing important work here in the German capital. In our travels around Germany, I’ve also been impressed with charitable organizations active everywhere in the country.
As my husband mentioned, the United States is a country of great volunteer efforts for the benefit of those less fortunate. I’m constantly struck by the creative ways Americans go about raising funds and bringing attention to important social issues and social ills. Whether it is breast cancer, homelessness, illiteracy, or poverty among children, Americans from coast to coast are willing to volunteer their time or make financial contributions to tens of thousands of charitable organizations.
Another great tradition is that many Americans don’t always want recognition for their charitable contributions. Public giving can sometimes be a very private matter. For every large, well-known foundation, there is plenty of anonymous and quiet giving.
For over 80 years our family has been involved in charitable giving, with the principle aim of helping those in need. That is why we are very pleased to support organizations that are trying hard to make a difference, like the Berlin-American Club.
As private individuals, my husband and I are interested in helping where we can and doing what must be done. As public figures, we are limited by what we can do. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t willing to learn as much as we can about German and European practices and solutions during our stay in Germany.
We’re happy to be here, we’re eager to learn, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to be involved.
Thank you for listening, and Happy Holiday season to everyone!
