Hillary Clinton visits COPE

Hillary greeting the director of the PMRC, MOH, COPE CEO and COPE program manager.

Waiting, waiting, waiting. We weren't allowed in the visitor's center so spent half an hour in the heat waiting for our photo opportunity.

Her she comes!

The official photo....hope it turns out okay.

Hillary Clinton had a whirlwind tour of Laos PDR today. She was apparently only in the country for a grand total of four hours but luckily, she deemed COPE worthy of a twenty minute slot. Who knew that I would need to fly halfway around the world to meet my own Secretary of State and have a photo-op of course.

The whole idea behind Hillary visiting COPE is to increase awareness about cluster bombs and the horrific and long lasting suffering they cause for innocent people. Hillary was given a tour by Soksai, our Laos visitor center staff and then by Kerryn Clarke, the program coordinator of COPE.  Both apparently went very well, she was very attentive and asked lots of questions.

She then went on to meet a landmine survivor who asked her to ban cluster bombs.

"I just want to ask that you ban cluster bombs. Because I was lucky and found COPE but lots of people don't have COPE and so they need your help." Peter Kim, a landmine survivor who lots both his hands and eye site three years ago on his 17th birthday when he picked up a UXO in the village where he lived.

After her visit with Peter Kim, she went on to sign the COPE visitor's book and pledge the US support.

"Thank you for all you do for so many and I pledge the United States will support COPE and the Lao people and government to overcome the legacies of the past. Best Wishes. Hillary Roddam Clinton"


She then joined us for the group photo after a brief greeting and chat.

And she's off to her next event, a meet and greet with the Embassy families.

Just another day in Laos PDR!!!!