Speeches, Remarks & Statements in 2009

Ambassador Reeker thanks the Red Cross Volunteers who participated in the Global Day of Service. /(LP).  -Ambassador Reeker's speech. MTV1 coverage in Macedonian  ALSAT coverage in Albanian.

Remarks of U.S. Ambassador Philip Reeker at the Blood and Food Drive Event Hosted with the Skopje Red Cross

◊ To see Ambassador Reeker’s speech (WMV-size 6.27MB) at the event, please click here. 

◊ To see coverage from MTV1 in Macedonian (WMV-size 2.55MB), please click here.

◊ To see news coverage on Alsat-M TV in Albanian (WMV- size 3.33MB), please click here.


October 21, 2009

This year President Obama suggested a new way to honor the victims of the attacks on September 11, 2001.  He asked our Missions and Embassies worldwide to plan a global day of service where we would bring together people of different religions, ethnicities and races to work towards a common goal.

Here in Macedonia we teamed with the Skopje Red Cross to organize this blood and food drive and the support we have seen from the citizens of this country has been fantastic. More than 80 individuals came and donated blood today and the food provided will help underprivileged families through the coming winter.  We are grateful for the support of a number of service-related NGOs. They have helped to encourage the involvement of youth in this day of service – inspiring volunteerism that will serve Macedonia for many generations to come.

Events like this help us focus on the things we share instead of the differences we may have.  Nothing is more basic than our joint need for the blood that courses through our veins and the food we need to survive. I am proud that The U.S. Embassy in Skopje was a part of this effort today, but this is truly something that everyone in Macedonia can be proud of. Without the participation of groups from every creed, color and background, this event would have failed. Instead what we are seeing is how much we can all truly accomplish when we all come together.

I want to thank the Red Cross for being an incredible partner in this endeavor and encourage those who could not participate today to look for other opportunities at Red Cross’s located throughout the country.