Thanksgiving
Close to four hundred years ago, the Pilgrims struggled to
build new lives for themselves in the unforgiving terrain of New England. After
their first successful harvest, the earliest Americans celebrated with a huge
feast in thanksgiving for their good fortune. Today, the Thanksgiving tradition
continues: across the United States, family and friends gather to give thanks
for the blessings in their lives.
This fall, my hometown of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast
were profoundly affected by a national tragedy. Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc
on the entire region and destroyed this major American city of nearly a half
million residents leaving hundreds of thousands homeless and unemployed. One of
the worst natural catastrophes in US history, the hurricane affected an area the
size of Great Britain, turned multiple states into disaster areas, and left
behind 12 million tons of debris in New Orleans alone. Over 80% of the city was
submerged in water; across four states more than one million people could not
return home for months. Apart from the physical devastation, in the chaos
immediately following the hurricane, we also witnessed the agonizing uncertainty
of those who had become separated from loved ones, the pain of evacuees who lost
everything, and the distress of an uncontrollable situation.
Faced with these events and our own personal struggles, it
is easy to be pessimistic, to take for granted, or to forget the many blessings
we each enjoy. Yet even in this situation, beyond the initial shock, we can find
reason to be thankful. We must commend the courage and determination of the
rescue teams and the heroism of ordinary citizens who risked their lives to help
others. We applauded each reunited family, each person pulled from the
floodwaters, and each rooftop rescue in New Orleans. While recognizing the
immediate pain and grief of the evacuees, we were also inspired by their growing
determination to start over and rebuild. With fortitude and resilience,
thousands vowed to return to their hometowns and recreate their lives. As we
witness these moments, we are reminded of the strength of the human spirit.
Although the reconstruction process is still ongoing, today
we have reason to be optimistic about the region’s recovery thanks in large part
to the generosity of the international community. Personally, I am extremely
appreciative of the international outpouring of solidarity, compassion, and
generosity at a time of great need in the United States and in particular for my
hometown. Close to a hundred countries and international organizations offered
aid and assistance to the victims of the hurricane. The generous donations from
Spain of emergency supplies helped many victims through the immediate aftermath
of the disaster while contributions of oil eased the economic shock for millions
of Americans. From the basic food rations urgently needed by the hurricane’s
victims to electrical generators and medical equipment, the overwhelming
response from the Spanish government and its people was a true blessing for the
United States. Watching the Spanish cargo planes leave the Torrejón Air Base, I
was, and am today, most sincerely thankful and appreciative of the strong
friendship between our two countries. The international community as a whole has helped make possible the
inspiring reconstruction we are seeing today, and for that, I am grateful.
Already, extraordinary relief efforts have begun to repair
house by house, and town by town the damage caused by the hurricane. It is a
slow, uncertain process, but we can already see the results. With the help of
federal reconstruction aid and generous donations, New Orleans is being rebuilt
faster than anyone expected. Everyday more restaurants and bars open, and more
families return to reclaim their lives in the city. I fully expect to once
again sit in the French Quarter enjoying a beignet in the near future.
In small towns across the Gulf Coast, neighbors are helping
one another clear debris and restore homes. More and more schools are reopening
as families return to the area, and everyday life returns to normal. In Biloxi,
businesses are being reopened providing employment to thousands of workers.
Meanwhile, teams have cleared more than seven hundred thousand cubic meters of
debris from the city, and its residents are now enjoying the services of a
functioning city.
This Thanksgiving, I am particularly grateful for the
reconstruction of the Gulf Coast and the promising future of my hometown. With
utmost sincerity, I would like to thank Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero,
Foreign Minister Moratinos, the rest of the Spanish government, and the regions
for the aid that they have offered. And with the deepest gratitude and respect,
I extend a special appreciation and acknowledgement to the Spanish people for
your many letters, phone calls, and personal donations in solidarity with the
American people. Your deeply felt compassion and generosity were greatly valued
during this time of great need.
Happy Thanksgiving a todos.
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