As spring arrives, I wish the people of Iran and everyone who celebrates this wonderful tradition a happy Nowruz.

Today, I offer my best wishes to all of the communities here in the United States, as well as in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and around the globe as they gather around the Haftsin, cooking, feasting, dancing, singing, and spending time with family and friends.

Nowruz is a time to take stock of recent events. In the past year, I have drawn inspiration from the Iranian people who are making their voices heard by protesting for freedom, dignity, and respect for human rights. The United States supports those seeking to reclaim their fundamental freedoms of expression, religion, and peaceful assembly.

Finally, Nowruz is a time to reflect on our hopes for the future. May the coming year bring peace, freedom, and prosperity to all.

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Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan will present the 2018 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award, with remarks to be provided by First Lady Melania Trump, in honor of 10 extraordinary women during an official ceremony from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, March 21, at the U.S. Department of State.

First established in March 2007, this annual award honors women around the world who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in acting to bring positive change to their societies, often at great personal risk and sacrifice. To date, under the IWOC program, the U.S. Department of State has recognized over 120 women from more than 65 countries who have worked to advocate for and promote human rights, the advancement of the status of women, peace, and government transparency around the world.

The names and bios of the recipients of the 2018 award will be announced on Monday, March 19.

The ceremony will be open to the press and streamed live on www.state.gov. Follow @StateDept during the event for updates and live tweets.

For the ceremony, pre-set time for cameras is 6:30 a.m. from the C Street entrance. Final access time for writers and stills is 8:30 a.m. from the 23^rd Street entrance.

Media representatives may attend the ceremony upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver’s license, passport).

For further information on this event, please contact the Office of Press Relations atPAPressDuty@state.gov and 202-647-2492 or SGWI_PA@state.gov.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, I would like to recognize Ireland’s remarkable contributions to the United States and reaffirm the strong bonds of friendship between our two nations and people.

Throughout American history, men and women of Irish descent have had a deep and lasting impact on our country. Since our founding, these men and women have helped shape and strengthen America, including as signers of the Declaration of Independence, presidents, military leaders, authors, business titans, and much more. Irish fortitude, leadership, creativity, and entrepreneurship are woven into the very fabric of the United States.

While we honor the contributions of past generations, we continue today to write the Irish-American story through a shared embrace of progress and a mutual quest to secure a more prosperous and peaceful future. Together, Ireland and the United States are forging new connections in the areas of security, trade, investment, research, and cultural exchanges.

As communities across our two countries celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, I offer warm wishes for a safe and happy holiday.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

On March 16, Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met with ROK Foreign Minister Kang in Washington, D.C. Deputy Secretary Sullivan and Foreign Minister Kang reaffirmed that the U.S.-ROK Alliance is the lynchpin of stability and security in the region, particularly in light of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Both sides agreed that the announcement of a meeting between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is an historic opportunity and evidence that the global maximum pressure campaign is working and must remain in effect. Deputy Secretary Sullivan and Foreign Minister Kang agreed that international pressure on North Korea must be maintained until the regime takes credible, verifiable, and concrete steps toward denuclearization.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, will be in Tokyo from March 19-21. He will lead the U.S. delegation at the Thirteenth Coordinating Committee Meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), which will serve to strengthen international cooperation on countering terrorism, discuss areas of future cooperation among the various working groups of the GCTF, discuss ongoing counterterrorism initiatives and introduce new ones.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.