Secretary Blinken to Deliver Remarks in Honor of Pride Month

In honor of Pride Month, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will host a convening and reception for U.S. leaders championing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) equality across the U.S. government and around the world on Thursday, June 27, at the Department of State. The convening will begin at 1:00 p.m. EDT in the Burns Auditorium, and the reception remarks will begin at 6:00 p.m. EDT in the Benjamin Franklin Room.  The Secretary will deliver remarks at both events which will be open to pre-registered press and streamed live on the Department homepage  and Department YouTube channel .

The Pride Month “Convening on U.S. Foreign Policy: National Security, Inclusive Development, and the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons” will also feature brief remarks by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons Jessica Stern will deliver brief remarks at both the convening and reception and will announce the release of the Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of the Presidential Memorandum on Advancing the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons Around the World at the convening.

For the convening, pre-set time for video cameras is 12:15 p.m. from the 21st Street entrance. Final access time for writers and stills is 12:30 p.m. from the 21st Street entrance. 

For the reception, pre-set time for video cameras is 5:15 p.m. from the C Street entrance. Final access time for writers and stills is 5:30 p.m. from the C Street entrance. 

Media representatives may attend these events 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).

Both events will be open to pre-registered press.  Please RSVP to [email protected] by 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26.  For more information, please contact [email protected].