Ed. note: This is cross-posted on DipNote, the U.S. Department of State's official blog. See the original post here.

Last week, we announced that we were heading to São Paulo, Brazil to attend NETmundial, a global meeting of governments, entrepreneurs, academics, Internet institutions, civil society activists and users to discuss the future of Internet governance. We expressed our hope that NETmundial would make an important contribution to the positive evolution of the Internet and its governance. Our optimism was well-founded. As one of Brazil’s leading Internet scholars and chair of Netmundial Virgilio Almeida brought NETmundial to a close, the U.S. government delegation rose in applause. And almost everyone else in the room rose with us.

We applauded to affirm the Multistakeholder Statement of São Paulo, the ideas it presents, the ideals it embraces, and the multistakeholder process that made it possible. We rose out of appreciation for the Brazilians and the Internet community leaders that brought us together and impressively managed a challenging conversation. And we rose in joint commitment to preserving, promoting, and expanding the benefits of a single, interoperable, open, and global Internet for all of the world’s people.

The success of NETmundial was no small feat. Every sector of society from six continents came together to discuss and debate a path forward for international Internet governance. We outlined principles for Internet governance and developed a path for a way forward. In our open and collaborative meetings in Brazil, we demonstrated the utility of the multistakeholder process for addressing stakeholders’ needs, and set a valuable example for what is possible in other forums. It is a game-changing achievement that the results and outcomes of NETmundial were substantive and meaningful; we can and will build on the momentum it creates for progress.

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One in five college-aged women is sexually assaulted in college – most often by someone she knows. The Obama Administration is committed to putting an end to this violence, which is why today, the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault released its first-ever report and announced a series of actions to help address the problem and make sure victims know they are not alone.

In addition to helping schools identify the scope of the problem, prevent sexual assault on campus, and respond when a student is assaulted, today’s announcements will also help strengthen federal enforcement efforts and improve and improve government communication with survivors, parents, school administrators, and the public.

To make enforcement data and other sexual assault resources accessible to students and schools, the task force launched a new website, www.NotAlone.gov. On the site, students can learn about their rights, search enforcement data, and read about how to file a complaint. Schools and advocates can find federal guidance on legal obligations, the best research, and relevant legislation.

See what organizations and elected leaders from around the country are saying about today’s announcements.

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the U.S. Department of Labor's Work in Progress blog. See the original post here.

To realize President Obama’s vision of opportunity for all, it’s all about making the right match. The way we do that is through job-driven training — connecting ready-to-work Americans with ready to be-filled jobs. It helps more people secure a foothold in the middle class and helps businesses to profit and grow.

Today, we’re announcing that we’re providing up to $150 million for states, through a new Job Driven National Emergency Grants program, to invest in programs that help dislocated workers, who’ve lost a job through no fault of their own, get back in the game. I’ve met so many people who’ve been out of work for six months or more, proud and hard-working people who’ve exhausted their unemployment benefits. Their full-time job is looking for a full-time job. They’re pounding the pavement every single day. These grants will help them find the job opportunities they need and deserve.

This is part of a series of essays about the issues facing working families in the 21st century, leading up to the White House Summit on Working Families on June 23, 2014.

Before coming to work at the White House, I was a practicing lawyer and experienced first-hand what it was like to grapple with raising young children as a single mom. While I had a demanding job that included late nights and lots of travel, I had the good fortune to have the resources to have wonderful childcare in my home that I trusted and who were always available for me and my kids. And I was also able to take full advantage of technological advances, as I could put my kids to bed at night and then go back to writing legal briefs that I could fax back in the middle of the night, and later, I could send in through my computer when that became possible. (Yes, I am old enough to remember when there was no such thing as the internet or a laptop computer).

But I also know that I was one of the lucky ones: Millions of working parents in America do not have these advantages and instead are struggling to hold jobs that make ends meet, while worrying about who is taking care of their kids. Many people have to choose between a job and sick child or parent, and many give up a career they trained long and hard for in order to meet the needs of their families.

It’s time for our workplaces to adapt to that changing workforce – and that is why I am so excited to be a part of the team putting together the White House Summit on Working Families.

On June 23rd of this year, the Department of Labor and Center for American Progress are teaming up with the White House Council on Women and Girls to host the Summit, and throughout the next few months, we will engage with groups and individuals across the country to identify initiatives that benefit America’s working families, American businesses and the American economy, because as President Obama said in his State of the Union address, “When women succeed, America succeeds.”

John Podesta meets Pope John Paul II on June 2, 1994 when Mr. Podesta served as Staff Secretary to President Clinton, during the first of his two presidential visits to Vatican City.

I am writing from Rome, where Congressman Xavier Becerra, the President’s Director of Legislative Affairs Katie Beirne Fallon, and I had the honor of serving as the Presidential Delegation to the Holy See. Yesterday, we, along with U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Kenneth Hackett and his wife Joan, attended the historic canonization Mass for Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. 

In different ways, John XXIII and John Paul II defined what it meant to be Catholic in the 20th century. Their influence and their example as men of humility, compassion, service, and faith provide profound lessons to people around the world. 

Pope John XXIII took leadership of the Church around the time I took my First Communion, at St. Edward’s Parish on the Northwest Side of Chicago. Seventy-six years old when he was elected, there were few who imagined the former Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli as a revolutionary. But the man we know today as il Papa buono, the Good Pope, was not content to let the Church go on as it always had. 

As part of the President's Climate Action Plan, this Administration has taken historic steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our National Program for fuel efficiency standards has set increasingly stringent targets for greenhouse emission reductions for cars and light trucks. The program is expected to save consumers more than $1.7 trillion at the pump and reduce 6 billion metric tons of carbon pollution over the lifetimes of new vehicles – more carbon dioxide than the United States emitted in all of 2012.

In this year’s State of the Union address, President Obama called on Congress to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour. That would benefit more than 28 million workers, helping families across the country make ends meet.

But exactly how would it help? We’ll show you.

Check out our new interactive state-by-state maps, which break down how a $10.10 minimum wage can help workers in each state. And if you agree that 28 million Americans deserve a raise, add your name.

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Yesterday marked the ninth year that the White House has participated in “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.” The program aims to bring girls and boys together to create a more equitable world at home, school, the workplace, and their greater communities. This year’s theme, “Plant a Dream at the White House: Grow Your Future in Public Service,” served as inspiration for the day’s programming.

More than 180 children of employees of the Executive Office of the President spent the morning at the White House, exploring different career paths and, ultimately, cultivating their hopes and dreams for the future.

Ed. Note: Registration for this event is now closed. For more information about ways to engage with the White House check out WH.gov/Engage.

Calling all teachers!

On Wednesday, May 7, 2014, the White House will mark National Teacher Appreciation Week by inviting 20 educators from across the country to a special White House social for a conversation with Administration officials, including lifelong educator Dr. Jill Biden and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The teachers will also take a tour of the White House and stop for a cup of tea with Dr. Biden.

Interested in being one of the 20 teachers? If you follow @DrBiden on Twitter, @VP on Instagram, @WhiteHouse on Instagram, or The White House on Pinterest, you could be. Teachers can apply right now at WH.gov/Social — registration closes at 12:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 29th.