Madeleine Albright was an exceptional thinker, diplomat and leader who for generations has been an inspiration to diplomats, foreign policy experts, and great minds in this city, and across the world. Her passing, particularly at this time of particular peril, is a great loss.
From early on, Dr. Albright found herself at the forefront of some of the world’s most pressing crises. As a child of Jewish, Czech parents, she escaped Nazi occupation and survived bombings in the heart of London all before the age of ten. 50 years later, after a long successful career as a writer, thinker, and foreign policy expert, Dr. Albright became America’s 64th Secretary of State, and the first woman to hold this position.
As Secretary of State, Dr. Albright was instrumental in peacemaking across the world, from her involvement in bringing an end to aggression in the Balkans, to meeting with Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang. In the Middle East, she played a crucial role in the Wye River agreement which sought to move the Israel and Palestine peace process forward. Dr. Albright committed her life to making the world more peaceful, more democratic, and more prosperous, and she will be sorely missed in these turbulent times. We send our warmest condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues.
Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
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