During her remarks, Vanessa mentioned her appreciation to the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, French Ambassador to the US Philippe Etienne, Consul General Vincent Hommeril, her family, and the many people in attendance. She also promised to continue her strong advocacy for the French language and culture and honor the United States-France relationship:
“When I look at this medal, I feel an immense sense of pride and respect for what it stands for, for the personal journey to get here and smile because I know that none of the work that I have done throughout the years would be possible without the commitment and support of all those here. […]
All roads have and will continue to lead to and from France, as I promise here to continue to honor this medal and what it represents. I promise to continue to honor the friendship I have with France, and will continue to grow our bilateral relations. I will continue to promote the French language and culture to the generations to come. I promise to continue to promote innovation and technology between the United States and France.
I promise to continue to be an ally to all of you in this room, and Consul General Hommeril, I am always here to support the Consulate and the Embassy.”
Félicitations, Vanessa!