The first woman to hold the position of U.S. Secretary Of State, Madeleine Albright, has died at the age of 84

Madeleine Albright was the first woman to hold the role of U.S. Secretary Of State and has passed away after battling cancer.

In a statement, Albright’s family says “we are heartbroken to announce the 64th U-S secretary of state and the first woman to hold that position passed away earlier today”

It continued adding, “the cause was cancer, she was surrounded by family and friends, we have lost a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.”

Below is a statement from the family of @Madeleine: pic.twitter.com/C7Xt0EN5c9

— Madeleine Albright (@madeleine) March 23, 2022

The loss of an icon

United States State Department spokesperson Ned Price says Albright quite literally “opened doors” and was a remarkable person in all aspects of life.

Albright played a crucial role within Bill Clinton’s administration, beginning as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, before moving into the top U.S. diplomatic role.

She was an avid human rights activist and played a fundamental role in the expansion of NATO. She continued pushing the alliance to intervene in the Balkans while seeking to reduce the global spread of nuclear weapons.

Albright published in the New York Times last month, warning that Putin would be making a “historic error” by invading Ukraine.

Albright wrote, “an invasion would leave Putin’s country diplomatically isolated, economically crippled and strategically vulnerable in the face of a stronger, more united Western alliance”.

Ukraine is entitled to its sovereignty, no matter who its neighbors happen to be. In the modern era, great countries accept that, and so must Vladimir Putin.

I write about the current crisis and my earliest encounters with Putin in today’s @nytimes https://t.co/FMYfNbfAhP

— Madeleine Albright (@madeleine) February 23, 2022

It was the honor of my life to serve the American people by defending their interests and values around the world. I will never forget walking into the State Department 25 years ago today. Passing by the portraits of my predecessors, I could feel the walls shake just a little https://t.co/fpkHBuolTw

— Madeleine Albright (@madeleine) January 23, 2022

From Kabul to Kyiv and beyond, women and girls are on the front lines in the struggle for freedom and human dignity. On this #InternationalWomensDay my heart is with all those fighting for a better, peaceful and more equal future. #IWD2022

— Madeleine Albright (@madeleine) March 8, 2022