STATEMENT ON
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK 2005
SECRETARY OF EDUCATION MARGARET SPELLINGS

Washington, DC

I am pleased to invite you to participate in International Education Week, November 14-18, 2005, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. This year's theme, International Education: Improving Student Achievement Around the World, marks the sixth annual commemoration of International Education Week.

We are constantly reminded that we live in a borderless world in an age where information and news are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The world is indeed interconnected, and what happens in any one country can be instantly transmitted worldwide.

For Americans, the international friendships we enjoy with citizens and governments around the world were never more evident than when Hurricane Katrina struck earlier this year. As hundreds of thousands of American school-aged children and their families were displaced by this natural disaster, the thoughts and prayers of many in our global community were with us. And when President Bush called on Americans to support the victims of this heart-wrenching tragedy, the international community also answered the call.

It is, therefore, very important to teach students about the world beyond their own countries. What are the similarities we share and differences with our friends around the world? We must understand what motivates those whose cultures and traditions are not our own. To achieve these goals, we must teach our children international education skills, which include the learning of other languages, cultures, and traditions.

Through the No Child Left Behind Act, we are committed to having every child in the United States learn and succeed in our global economy. Reading First and the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative also help to ensure that we are improving student achievement in the United States. In today's world, reading is more than just a pastime; it's a survival skill. President Bush describes reading as the new civil right. It should be the right of children everywhere. A child who can read is a child who can learn. And any child who can learn is a child who can succeed in school and in life.

What better way to ensure that children will succeed in school than to have excellent teachers. It is no secret that teaching is one of the hardest jobs. So when the top teachers in the country share how they get results for their students, as they are able to do through the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative, it helps to make the job just a little easier. Education reform takes place in real classrooms with real teachers. Working together, we can provide our students with a world-class education.

International Education Week 2005 is a time to celebrate international education and exchange. It is also a time to reflect about America's place in the world and to assess whether we are preparing our students for success in a global environment. I hope students and teachers alike will have the opportunity to participate in an internationally enriching experience during November 14-18, 2005.