The newly appointed Charge d’Affaires at the United States’ embassy in Baghdad, Mr. Joshua Harris, visited the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB), where he briefly addressed the host of students gathered at AUIB’s American Space and engaged them in a wide-ranging discussion on the occasion of the United State’s Constitution Day.
AUIB President, Dr. Bradley Cook, welcomed Mr. Harris and the U.S. Embassy delegation to campus, introducing the senior diplomat to the audience. In his short address, Charge d’Affaires Harris touched on the various aspects of the Iraqi-U.S. relationships, most important of which were the two countries’ “partnership” in advancing Iraq’s security and economic prosperity, stressing that “commercial ties must be concrete” and “accountability ensured.”
In the lively discussion that ensued his address, the diplomat commended the “inspiring resilience” of the people of Iraq, saying that the country “should be an exporter of stability, and will be” so. “We want Iraq to be sovereign, secure within its borders, and prosperous,” he said.
Constitution Day, observed on September 17, commemorates the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. It honors the founding document that established the framework of the U.S. government and the rights of its citizens. The occasion encourages Americans to reflect on the principles of democracy, liberty, and the rule of law.