每年的7月4日是美国的独立纪念日，1776年7月4日，大陆会议在费城正式通过托马斯·杰佛逊起草的《独立宣言》 。
Secretary Kerry’s Fourth of July Message
国务卿独立纪念日献词
03 July 2013
2013年7月3日
Hello, everybody. I wanted to take a moment to welcome you to our embassies, consulates and residences, and wish you a very Happy American Independence Day. My colleagues from our embassies and consulates are constantly learning from all of you about your cultures and traditions, and, frankly, we really couldn’t be happier that you’re here to share our traditions and celebrate the birthday of the United States. While the Fourth of July is an occasion to enjoy great food and the company of friends and family, it’s also a time for Americans to reflect on the founding of our country 237 years ago. And while our Declaration of Independence is the most American of documents, and while we proudly associate ourselves with the promises of equality, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, in truth, those ideals are not uniquely American. These rights actually belong to everyone on earth. These are values that we all share, and they represent the aspirations of people the world over. So we look forward to working with all of you to find the common ground on which we can work to build a safer, healthier and more prosperous world. Thanks so much for joining us today, and Happy Independence Day to all of you.
大家好。我希望趁此机会欢迎各位光临我国驻外各使馆、领事馆和驻地，祝大家很愉快地度过美国独立纪念日!我国驻外使领馆全体人员经常向诸位学习你们的文化和传统，坦率地说，我们的确很高兴看到各位在这里与我们分享我们的传统并庆祝美国的生日。7月4日不仅仅是一个享受美食，与朋友、家人欢聚的日子，这一天也是美国人民回顾237年前我国建国历史的时刻。虽然我国的独立宣言是最能体现美国精神的文件;虽然我们自豪地将我们自己与平等、生命、自由和追求对幸福的希望联系在一起，但实际上，这些理想并非为美国所独有。这些权利真正属于地球上的每一个人。这些都是我们大家共同的价值观，体现了普天下人民的愿望。因此，我们期望与大家共同努力，找到共同点，在此基础上构建一个更加安全、更加健康和更加繁荣的世界。多谢各位今天光临，祝大家独立纪念日快乐。