00:00 [SIDE CONVERSATION]
00:03 [SIDE CONVERSATION]
00:31 Ladies and gentlemen, it's a huge pleasure
00:35 to be with you here this evening to celebrate
00:38 the 135th anniversary of the Foreign Press Association
00:44 and to reflect on the many achievements
00:46 as the world's oldest and biggest association
00:49 of foreign journalists.
00:52 But I cannot begin without also reflecting
00:55 that as we gather, journalists, photographers,
00:59 and their support teams are even now risking their lives.
01:04 We think particularly of those reporting
01:07 from Ukraine and the Middle East in these most
01:10 difficult of times.
01:11 By joining you this evening, I'm following
01:17 in the footsteps of my husband, an honorary member of the FPA,
01:22 who joined you at these awards in 2008.
01:26 On that occasion, he described your role
01:30 as not only to look at the world and study the way it works,
01:34 but to report what you see accurately, to explain it,
01:38 and indeed to interpret it.
01:41 In doing so, you shape the view and define the perspective
01:45 of millions of people.
01:47 And that is an enormous responsibility.
01:50 Ladies and gentlemen, as my husband observed 15 years ago,
01:54 yours is an awe-inspiring responsibility.
01:59 You question, debate, and analyze, and thus
02:03 protect what is so easy for us to take for granted--
02:08 true freedom of expression.
02:12 As I said at the London Press Club Awards in 2011,
02:16 I believe freedom of expression to be
02:18 at the heart of our democratic system.
02:22 In this, you play a vital, if not pivotal, role.
02:28 Now take courage from the words of one of our greatest
02:31 writers and former journalist, Sir Tom Stoppard.
02:35 I still believe that if your aim is to change the world,
02:40 journalism is a more immediate, short-term weapon.
02:45 May you continue to use it wisely.
02:48 Thank you.
02:49 [APPLAUSE]
02:53 We're very honored to have you as honorary member for life--
02:59 For life.
02:59 Yeah, for life-- of this association.
03:02 And it was high time that you joined your husband
03:05 as our other honorary member.
03:07 And there are not many associations
03:09 who can actually show off that they have two crowned king
03:16 and queen as their member.
03:18 So thank you very much for being with us.
03:20 [ Applause ]
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