In all my visits at home and abroad, I have found out that you can learn a lot about a country's future by visiting its public schools. I believe we can build a future where every child in every corner of the world, because of the explosion of technology and because of the dedication of teachers, will have the skills, the opportunity, the education to fulfill his or her God-given potential. I know this will happen if teachers lead the way. I know that there will be political fights to be fought and won. I know one of your honorees at this conference is being honored for taking huge numbers of children out of bondage and putting them back in school.
Some people still view children as little more than a material asset.
They are us as children, and they are our future and the future of the world. I ask you not only to be vigorous in the classroom, but vigorous as citizens. You must not stop until every political leader with any political influence, in any political party, in any nation knows that this is something that has to be lifted above political partisanship. This is something that ought to be beyond all debate. If you understand how the world is going to work tomorrow and you have any concern about the integrity and the richness of the human spirit in every child, then all of us must join hands to help you succeed in giving all those children the tomorrows they deserve.