[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 63 (Thursday, April 2, 2015)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 18075-18076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07784]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 63 / Thursday, April 2, 2015 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 18075]]


                Proclamation 9244 of March 30, 2015

                
Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., 2015

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                In every child--every girl dreaming big dreams and 
                every boy hungry to make something of himself--there 
                exists limitless potential. Our young people are the 
                problem-solvers, thinkers, and visionaries of tomorrow 
                who will change the world as we know it, and they 
                deserve the chance to fulfill their enormous promise, 
                no matter who they are or where they live. A good 
                education can open the door to opportunity, and it 
                should be within the reach of all who yearn for the 
                chance to develop their minds and talents. Today, we 
                celebrate the transformative power of education and 
                honor a man who inspired a passion for learning among a 
                generation of students.

                Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher 
                Rebbe, dedicated his life to promoting education as the 
                cornerstone of humanity. A tireless advocate for youth 
                around the world, he believed that ``as long as there 
                is still one child that does not receive an adequate 
                education, we can neither be satisfied nor slacken our 
                efforts.'' In an era where a woman's education was not 
                valued the same as a man's, the Rebbe worked to tear 
                down barriers that stood in the way of girls who wanted 
                to learn. He established a Jewish organization for 
                women and directed his teachings of service and 
                scholarship equally to young girls and boys. He was 
                even known to write, ``There must be a girl!'' on 
                educational materials that depicted only boys.

                Because of leaders like the Rebbe, we have made great 
                strides toward achieving quality education for all--but 
                his legacy is not only a story of progress, it is also 
                a call to remember his words and take up this 
                unfinished task. Today, 62 million girls around the 
                world who should be in school are not. Children who 
                deserve an education, who have the power to change the 
                course of history, face unacceptable obstacles because 
                of their gender, the circumstances of their birth, or 
                the customs of their society.

                If we want to strengthen families and communities, 
                bolster economic growth, and promote stability 
                worldwide, we must work to increase the number of girls 
                in school and empower all children with the resources 
                they need to reach for a brighter future. This is not 
                only a humanitarian issue; it is also critical to our 
                security and global economic prosperity. That is why 
                First Lady Michelle Obama and I recently launched a new 
                initiative called Let Girls Learn. As part of this 
                effort, my Administration will be supporting hundreds 
                of community-driven projects around the world that will 
                build on investments we have made and successes we have 
                achieved in global primary school education. At the 
                same time, we are making it clear to any country who 
                wants to work with us that they must address the 
                challenges preventing young women from attending and 
                completing school--such as fees, threats of violence, 
                and the false belief that girls are not worthy of an 
                education.

                We are committed to making a global and generational 
                impact, but Let Girls Learn is also about reminding 
                Americans about the importance of high-quality 
                education for all. As we help lift up children 
                worldwide, my Administration will continue to fight for 
                every young person here at home. We will not let up on 
                our efforts to deliver the best possible education

[[Page 18076]]

                to all people in the United States, including our work 
                to expand access to high-quality preschool to every 
                child and provide our Nation's classrooms with the best 
                technology. And we are expanding our strategy to make 
                higher education more affordable by promoting a Student 
                Aid Bill of Rights and calling for 2 years of free 
                community college for anyone who is willing to work for 
                it.

                Across the globe, girls have pushed forward to pursue 
                an education in the face of poverty and threats to 
                their safety. They are bold, ambitious, and undeterred 
                by immense challenges. Today, we are called to meet 
                their resolve with a commitment worthy of their 
                character. On Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., we 
                recognize educators, pioneers of change, and all those 
                who have unlocked the spark of something extraordinary 
                within a child, and we rededicate ourselves to building 
                a world where the destiny of every young person is 
                limited only by the size of their dreams and the power 
                of their imagination.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2015, as 
                Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A. I call upon all 
                Americans to observe this day with appropriate 
                ceremonies and activities.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2015-07784
Filed 4-1-15; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F5