Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Speaks At Wildlife Conservation Society Gala

June 12, 2014

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thank you Cristián and thank you, not just for your extraordinarily capable leadership but for your vision, your passion for what the Wildlife Conservation Society does. You could hear it in that report, and that is the kind of leadership that’s necessary to fight such a challenging set of problems. Let’s thank Cristián for all he does.

[Applause]

I feel tremendous pride as a New Yorker tonight to hear that so much of this important work is led from this city – to hear that a meeting that crystallized action all over Africa happened right here at this zoo. That alone would be cause enough for pride but as a New Yorker, I thank the Wildlife Conservation Society for all you do for the everyday people of this city. Here in this zoo, the Bronx Zoo, the Prospect Park Zoo – my own beloved Prospect Park Zoo, where my children spent many a day – the Queens Zoo and the New York Aquarium. Making extraordinary contributions to this city for every kind of New Yorker, incredibly inclusive and embracing of the totality of this city, so I thank you for that.

Thank all of the trustees, including your Board Chair Ward Woods. I thank a dear friend, your Executive Vice President John Calvelli – in italiano, il magnifico John Calvelli.

[Applause]

E allora in inglese, I will continue in English. I want to thank a woman who does amazing things for New York City and New York State in Washington. We love a lot of things about her, we especially love her very aggressive role on the Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Nita Lowey. Thank you.

[Applause]

And a thank you to a man who I’ve heard a lot about, I’ve seen a lot with my own eyes what he’s done for this world – what he’s done for this country. Again, forgive my chauvinism, I’m very very appreciative as a New Yorker for all the energy, the attention, the love for this city that has been shown by President Bill Clinton, and we thank you deeply for that.

[Applause]

Now as to the Clintons, who have brought us to this day. I had the deep honor of working for Hillary Rodham Clinton. And people have asked me about that experience, and I’ve had a lot to say about how extraordinary it is – for one thing, if you think you know what laser-like focus is, I’m not sure you do, until you’ve spent time with Hillary Rodham Clinton. And that is high, high praise because when she sees a problem, she gives it her all. But like everybody, the attention and the focus has to be drawn, it’s a big, complicated world out there. There are many challenges. Someone has to crystallize action.

And in this case, I’ve done my research. And I believe that on this profoundly important issue that we’re gathered here today to act on together, when it comes to saving African elephants and saving the future of our planet, that some of the key work that Secretary Clinton has done was crystallized by a key advisor of hers, known as her daughter Chelsea Clinton.

And Chelsea, thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your focus on this issue, for your work at the Clinton Global Initiative. And again, as someone who loves when people do their work in New York and devote themselves to the good of others – I honor the focus you’ve put on this issue. We thank you for it.

[Applause]

Now once I’m going to surmise – Secretary I’m going to surmise – that upon fully recognizing the importance of the issue, that you looked at it not just from the position of a work plan or a set of tasks, but you put together the key connection. If we’re going to do something, we have to follow the money. We have to do the kinds of things that might get under the skin of the issue. If we’re going to look at trafficking and ivory, we have to figure out who profits. We have to look at the connection between that and the funding of terrorism. And in these considerations, I have seen in Secretary Clinton that ability to not only connect the dots but then decide how to forcefully act. I’ve seen her do it on many issues, and I have to say – it’s a digression but it’s worth a brief moment that one of the reasons we are doing all we’re doing in this city on early childhood education is because many years ago Hillary Rodham Clinton decided to do something about early childhood education. So I’ve seen this pattern before. It’s a very good pattern.

But your focus on saving the elephants, your focus on saving the future of the earth in the process is not only incredibly effective, it’s inspirational. So to mother and daughter both, a profound thanks from the people of New York City.

[Applause]

And I know you’re going to hear about Diane Christensen later, and we thank her for her passionate support of the Wildlife Conservation Society. So you here tonight honor an extraordinary group of women who are making this cause their passion and are achieving so much through it.

And I’ll finish with this: we have to always put the issues we’re working on in perspective. We have to remember why they matter materially, we have to remember why they matter morally. And Hillary said something that I think captures it, a quote she said, ‘To lose a magnificent creature like the African forest elephant seems like such a rebuke to our own values.’ And I hope tonight you think of it in those terms, you think about the help you’re providing to the Wildlife Conservation Society as not only the right thing to do, not only something materially important, but something that reiterates the values we hold and protects them all over the earth. Thank you and God bless you for that.