Quebec City (Quebec)
April 19, 2001

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a privilege for me to take part in the opening of the Virtual Museum of the Americas.

MuseAmericas embodies the very essence of our hemispheric community – our gran familia of the Americas.

By connecting museums from Yukon to Patagonia, MuseAmericas celebrates the rich diversity of our cultures, and showcases our common feeling of attachment to our heritage.

It is designed for a wide variety of purposes and users. The MuseAmericas site will be a boon to management and staff at small museums that might need help in setting up exhibitions for the Internet. It will also attract tourists looking for a foretaste of museums in the countries they plan to visit. But above all, it will provide a wealth of information to schoolchildren from the four corners of the hemisphere.

With a few clicks, they will be able to explore faraway treasures and discover other cultures, other artistic traditions and new perspectives. Without leaving their desks, they will welcome the hemisphere into their classrooms, wherever they live.

To be sure, not all classrooms in the Americas have a computer, but more and more are getting connected every day. In Canada, we have invested significantly to achieve that objective. And today, all our schools, even in the most isolated regions, have access to the Internet.

They are all ready to discover the Virtual Museum of the Americas.

We all believe in the importance of education – whether we are politicians or teachers or the real experts -- parents. We understand that investing in education is an essential part of strengthening democracy, creating prosperity and promoting human development. We also know that if our children are to grow up to be good citizens with good jobs and promising futures, they must not be left behind in the digital age.

These concerns go to the heart of the Third Summit of the Americas – and to the mission of the Virtual Museum of the Americas.

It is fitting to open this project here in Quebec City, as the heads of state and government from 34 countries gather to chart a course for our hemisphere at the beginning of the new millennium.

Congratulations on having had not only a grand vision, but the resourcefulness and determination to make it a reality. It will be fascinating to watch as MuseAmericas grows and develops along with La Gran Familia of the Americas."

Muchas gracias. Obrigado. Merci. Thank you.

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