U.S. Ambassador Pens Book for Young People

December 14, 2010

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Issued by the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section

14 December 2010

Harare, December 14, 2010 – U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles A. Ray, tonight released his 9th book, a collection of essays on leadership, life and lessons learned, entitled Where You Come From Matters Less Than Where You Are Going.

Speaking at the Mannenberg in Harare during the launch, Ambassador Ray noted, “For you young people, the current and future leaders of Zimbabwe, I hope that this book will encourage, exhort and inspire you as you press on in the goals that you have for both yourself and your country. I also hope that it serves as a reminder to you of the things that matter most in life — not what you do, but how you go about doing it; not who you say you are, but who you are when no one else is watching; not where you come from, but where you are going.”

The book consists of 21 short essays written by the Ambassador in 2010. Each essay is followed by questions or quotes meant to provoke discussion and debate on the issue. Topics include, “The Important of Core Values,” “What is Justice?”, “To Serve and Protect,” and “Citizen Participation Leads to Good Governance.” Many of the essays have already been published in local media as opinion pieces or letters to the editor. The book was published by the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section and will be distributed at no cost to youth groups, libraries, schools and interested readers.

Senator David Coltart, Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, commented that,
“Often Ambassadors are reserved and it is hard for Zimbabweans to fully understand what makes them tick. Ambassador Ray through his writings has revealed a person who cares very deeply about the human condition and about many of the issues which confront us in Zimbabwe. It is wonderful that he has been able to show that these problems are not unique to Zimbabwe. His wisdom that has been created in part through his wide ranging experience also provides some useful ways to resolve them.”

Comments and queries should be addressed to Sharon Hudson-Dean, Public Affairs Officer. E-mail: hararepas@state.gov