[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 238 (Tuesday, December 13, 2005)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 73903-73904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24060]



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Part IV





The President





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Proclamation 7968--Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human 
Rights Week, 2005
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 238 / Tuesday, December 13, 2005 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

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                Proclamation 7968 of December 9, 2005

                
Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human 
                Rights Week, 2005

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Americans believe that freedom is God's gift to every 
                man and woman in the world. The Founders adopted our 
                Constitution to secure the blessings of liberty for the 
                people of the United States, and since 1789, 
                generations of Americans have defended and advanced 
                freedom in our Nation.

                Throughout our history, the United States has also 
                worked to extend the promise of liberty to other 
                countries. We are continuing those efforts today. We 
                are promoting democracies that respect freedom of 
                speech, freedom of worship, and freedom of the press 
                and that protect the rights of minorities and women. We 
                are standing with dissidents and exiles against 
                oppressive regimes and tyranny.

                This year has seen great advances in the spread of 
                democracy and human rights. In January, more than eight 
                million Iraqi men and women braved threats of violence 
                to vote for a provisional government. In October, 
                Iraqis voted in even greater numbers to approve a draft 
                constitution for their country, and on December 15, 
                they will return to the polls to elect a Council of 
                Representatives. Millions of Afghans voted in September 
                in the first free legislative elections in Afghanistan 
                in decades. Countries of the former Soviet bloc are 
                emerging as thriving democracies. A free press is 
                gaining ground in Kyrgyzstan, and civil institutions 
                are being strengthened in Ukraine and Georgia. We have 
                witnessed good progress this year, and America will 
                continue this historic work to advance the cause of 
                freedom.

                We remain confident in this cause because we have seen 
                the power of freedom to overcome the dark ideologies of 
                tyranny and terror. Freedom enables men and women to 
                live lives of dignity. And freedom gives the citizens 
                of a nation confidence in a future of peace for their 
                children and grandchildren. As we observe Human Rights 
                Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human Rights Week, we 
                renew our commitment to building a world where human 
                rights are respected and protected by the rule of law 
                and where all people can enjoy freedom and dignity.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United 
                States, do hereby proclaim December 10, 2005, as Human 
                Rights Day; December 15, 2005, as Bill of Rights Day; 
                and the week beginning December 10, 2005, as Human 
                Rights Week. I call upon the people of the United 
                States to mark these observances with appropriate 
                ceremonies and activities.

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                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand five, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirtieth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

[FR Doc. 05-24060
Filed 12-12-05; 11:18 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P