Remarks for July 4th American Society Celebration Ambassador Charles L. Glazer
June 30, 2006

Greetings to all my fellow Americans and also to our many Salvadoran and expatriate friends who are with us today!

As many of you know, this is my first 4th of July as U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador; I arrived here from Connecticut this past January. 

It is a joy to be able to meet the larger group of fellow Americans who live in El Salvador and to spend time with our Salvadoran and international community friends.  

I would very much like to thank the American Society Board of Directors and President Rosario Arevalo for organizing the celebration and inviting me to join in the festivities, and the Sheraton Presidente for providing the lovely venue.  Thank you also to the companies whose donations have made this such a festive occasion – you’ll find their names and logos on the American Society’s banner.   

It wouldn’t be Fourth of July without all this good food, drink, music, and decorations so thank you very much.  

The Fourth of July is one of the most important holidays for Americans – and for those of us overseas, away from family and friends, I think the day becomes even more important.

The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate the values that both define and unite us: values such as liberty, equality, freedom, and democracy –principals the founding fathers believed were important enough  to  risk their lives fighting for and have thus become  cornerstones of American society.

If those brave men could see how their extraordinary wisdom has supported the growth and stability of a democratic system that has inspired numerous others across the world, they would surely be proud.

As we celebrate those values which our great nation was founded upon 231 years ago, let us also celebrate the enduring friendship between El Salvador and the United States.

We are allies who share the same ideals of freedom and democracy, and  together we are pursuing these principles as we dedicate ourselves to extending the blessings of liberty to those who do not yet know them.

Finally, I would like to thank all of the Americans here, for the work you are doing in El Salvador that contributes to a better understanding between our two countries. 

All of us, each in our own way, are ambassadors of the United States and have a role to play in maintaining the good relations that exist between our two countries. 

Peace Corps volunteers here today who show the heart and soul of America to the people of El Salvador from boarder to boarder, thank you for being here today.

You all do that through business, economic and social development work, education, and in many other ways. 

I am very proud to be an American and a member of this community, and I thank you for inviting me to participate in this wonderful celebration.  

Happy Fourth of July and I hope you all have a wonderful time today.