Honoring Human Rights Champions Around the World
 Human Rights Day stands as a powerful reminder of our enduring commitment to dignity, freedom, and justice — values fundamental to the founding of our nation and to the world we envision.
On December 10, Secretary Blinken honored exceptional human rights defenders.
Under Secretary Zeya and Assistant Secretary Rand joined him to celebrate eight individuals and their resilience and courage in advocating for dignity worldwide.
The United States invested $1.06 billion in foreign assistance for human rights over the past four years, marking a significant milestone. To learn more, read U.S. Achievements in Advancing Human Rights Globally.
Honoring Secretary John Kerry
 We celebrated John Kerry, the 68th Secretary of State, with a portrait.
During the ceremony, Secretary Blinken highlighted Kerry’s dedication to diplomacy and climate action. Key moments included signing the Paris Climate Agreement and persevering during negotiations, even from a hospital bed.
Combating Corruption Worldwide
 Corruption erodes democratic governance, undermines trust in government, and hinders development.
On International Anti-Corruption Day, Secretary Blinken recognized 10 anti-corruption champions for their extraordinary contributions.
"Corruption exacerbates irregular migration, instability, conflict — conditions that terrorists, criminals, and adversaries all exploit," Secretary Blinken said at the Anti-Corruption Champions Award Ceremony. The Secretary emphasized the U.S. commitment to supporting these champions and strengthening global partnerships to counter corruption.
The U.S. government launched the Anti-Corruption Champions Award in 2021 to recognize individuals who have taken remarkable steps to counter corruption.
This year, honorees included government officials, civil society leaders, and investigative journalists from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Colombia, The Gambia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Panama, and Uganda .
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Secretary Blinken spoke at the fifth anniversary of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), highlighting $12 billion in commitments across 44 countries this year to advance food security, climate solutions, and global health resilience.
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Secretary Blinken addressed the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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The U.S. welcomed the Ankara Declaration by Ethiopia and Somalia, reaffirming each country’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity and advancing cooperation on shared interests.
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The U.S. has introduced new visa restriction policies for individuals responsible for abusive or unjust detention abroad of foreign nationals and for the family members of individuals who wrongfully detain Americans.
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We announced updates to the Exchange Visitor Skills List to further enhance U.S. competitiveness, streamline the visa process, and make it possible for those who qualify for work visas to continue contributing their talents to U.S. businesses and U.S. innovation.
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