Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman at an Education Week Event in Moldova

Good afternoon, everyone. Salut! It's an honor to join you today. Thank you Prime Minister [Dorin] Recean and Education Minister [Dan] Perciun for the kind invitation to be here with you, and for your tireless efforts to build a safe, prosperous, and hopeful future for Moldova's next generation of leaders. And thank you, students, for your participation this week and for your time today.

Wow, what a crowd this is, I feel almost as popular as Satoshi! Who enjoyed last night's concert?

When I was in high school, I dreamed of becoming a diplomat - of being able to represent my country in speaking with other governments, and to work with them to try to make the world a better place. I was distracted by other dreams along the way - working in finance, healthcare, and business - but was lucky enough to still make my way back to this dream in my forties, when I began my career as an American diplomat.

I think about how lucky I've been to pursue my dreams, especially when I look around the world today and see so many young people encountering barriers that keep their dreams from ever getting off the ground: whether that's not having enough to eat; or having their lives upended by conflict and war; or living under the thumb of a repressive or corrupt government. Or, simply, not having enough access to well-paid and meaningful jobs.

Today, I have the extraordinary privilege of helping to run a part of the U.S. government that works to break down those barriers. At the U.S. Agency for International Development - USAID - we like to think of ourselves as enablers of progress. Our job is to work with partner countries to improve the chances that all of their citizens have enough to eat, are able to live in safety, and are able speak their minds without fear of repression. And, like here in Moldova, that young people have access to cutting-edge educational opportunities that lead to high paying jobs, like computer science, engineering, fashion design, digital media, game design, and animation.

We do this, fundamentally, because we believe in human dignity - in every person's chance to dream big, and to pursue the future that they want for themselves. But we also do our work because it releases a wave of human potential - creating a healthier, more prosperous, and more stable world that benefits us all. That's an outcome that's good for the United States, and it's good for our partners.

Data bears this out. Since American President John F. Kennedy established USAID just over sixty years ago, seventeen of our partners have grown from aid recipients to aid donors. Eight are now among America's top ten trading partners. The citizens of these countries dreamed big, and then they went out and realized those dreams.

USAID has supported Moldova since 1991, with over a billion dollars in investment - that's nearly 18 billion Moldovan Lei.

We are making this investment because we believe in Moldova, and because we believe in all of you.

We see a Moldovan future offering security and prosperity within Europe, and ever-increasing ties with the Euro-Atlantic family, including the United States.

We see a Moldovan government committed to reforms that will improve your livelihoods and those of your family and friends.

And most of all, we see you: eager young people ready to chart a new course for yourselves, and for your country.

We are proud to support the efforts going into making Moldova's dream a reality.

We're supporting independent media and government watchdogs. We're working alongside leaders enacting democratic reform, rooting out corruption, and expanding human rights. Since 2017, we've trained more than 16,000 of your fellow students in media literacy, equipping them with the skills to evaluate the reliability and objectivity of the information they receive.

We've made critical investments in industries like agriculture, tourism, light industry, creative industries, and information technology.

And we've supported the development of Moldova's education system through efforts like our "Future Technologies Activity," which seeks to modernize classrooms by providing the tools that you, as students, need to become digitally-skilled, future-ready, and prepared to confidently enter the workforce.

In short, USAID is partnering with the people of Moldova to build a brighter, more peaceful and prosperous future for all of Moldova's citizens.

Taken together, what we in Washington, D.C. are seeing is that, as you strengthen your democracy, move toward the European Union, build greater security and independence in your energy supply, curb corruption, and accelerate economic growth, the world is increasingly opening up to you. You have the opportunity to dream boldly - in a way many of your parents never experienced.

But we know that real barriers still exist, not least with regard to education. Moldova is grappling with a shortage of teachers, and work still needs to be done to bridge the gap between educational demand and supply. Teachers are one of the most critical professions in any society. So how about a big round of applause for all of your teachers!

For those of you who dream of being a teacher, I encourage you to do so. Because there's nothing more important for a community, or for a country, than shaping the lives of others.

And I'll add this: nothing truly important in life is easy, and almost nothing important is instantaneous. Change takes work, and often also time. And that's why we're counting on all of you.

Each of you can contribute to a vibrant, influential, hopeful future. Your contributions here in Moldova have the potential to build a better world for generations of Moldovans to come.

The United States stands ready to partner with you along the way. We are ready to build the future you deserve. We need your talents, ideas, contributions, and dreams. You are the leaders of the future: it's yours to shape.

Thank you.

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