Poloko Mokhele
TOURISM, Environment and Culture minister Joang Molapo has commended the United States for being a true friend of Lesotho saying that country had done a lot to assist Basotho in their greatest hours of need. The US had stood by Lesotho during the Kingdom’s most difficult periods and had never looked back on its friendship with this country, the minister said.
Mr Molapo said this during the recent official opening of a new rooftop section of the American Corner at the State Library in Maseru.
The American Corner is a section of the State Library funded by the Americans to provide materials that expose Basotho to a variety of relevant information about that country and promote mutual understanding between citizens of the two countries.
Mr Molapo said even though the two countries had differed on certain issues, the US had steadfastly remained a loyal friend to Lesotho, assisting the Kingdom with a number of projects including the expansion of health facilities.
The American Corner had been providing Basotho with a lot of exposure to American society and a host of opportunities in that country.
“The most important gift that one can ever give to another is knowledge and through the American Corner, the US embassy is saying to Basotho the door is open to come and get knowledge,” Mr Molapo said.
On her part, US Ambassador to Lesotho Rebecca Gonzales said the partnership between the embassy and the State Library in opening the American Corner in 2008 and its subsequent renovations was the product of an enduring relationship built on mutual respect, shared values and people-to-people connections.
Ms Gonzales said the American Corner had given Basotho especially young people, access to new books and periodicals, and a central place to go for information about the US and its programmes in Lesotho.
She said the space had become central to the lives of many young, determined Basotho who are hungry for knowledge and who are striving to become leaders of tomorrow.
