[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 60 (Friday, March 27, 2020)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 17471-17472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06627]



[[Page 17469]]

Vol. 85

Friday,

No. 60

March 27, 2020

Part IV





The President





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Proclamation 9999--Greek Independence Day: A National Day of 
Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2020
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85 , No. 60 / Friday, March 27, 2020 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 17471]]

                Proclamation 9999 of March 24, 2020

                
Greek Independence Day: A National Day of 
                Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2020

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Our great American experiment was inspired by the ideas 
                about liberty, self-government, and the rule of law 
                that traced their roots to ancient Greece. On Greek 
                Independence Day, we commemorate the rich history 
                shared between the United States and Greece, which is 
                fortified by our love of freedom and commitment to 
                democratic institutions. We join the Greek people in 
                celebrating another year of independence and unity.

                The great thinkers of ancient Greece stoked the 
                American quest for freedom and a republic founded on 
                the fundamental truth that people have rights that 
                cannot be denied. Decades later, the same values that 
                catalyzed our Revolution inspired the people of Greece 
                to seek their own freedom and independence. Recognizing 
                the commonality between the Greeks' fight to establish 
                a representative government and their own, many 
                Americans supported Greek independence, forging an 
                unbreakable bond between our two countries.

                Today, this same conviction for a freer and more 
                prosperous world bolsters the alliance between the 
                United States and Greece. In October 2019, my 
                Administration worked with Greek officials to 
                strengthen and expand our defense and security 
                partnership by updating the United States-Greece Mutual 
                Defense Cooperation Agreement Annex. This agreement 
                paves the way for closer collaboration on national 
                security matters between our two countries for decades 
                to come. We are also grateful for the commitment of 
                Greece, a strong NATO Ally, to our naval presence at 
                Souda Bay on the island of Crete. Through such 
                endeavors, the partnership between our countries 
                advances our strategic national interests in stable and 
                peaceful Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Western 
                Balkans regions.

                As noted at the Second United States-Greece Strategic 
                Dialogue last year, an estimated 3 million Americans 
                claim Greek descent. We therefore reaffirm our 
                commitment to building firm institutional foundations 
                that foster deep appreciation of our common ties. To 
                that end, we are proud to have established the Future 
                Leaders Exchange Program, which is further developing 
                educational, cultural, and scientific cooperation 
                between our two countries. Throughout our histories, 
                both of our nations have prioritized interactions 
                between our peoples, which are at the core of our 
                cherished relationship and alliance.

                The United States and Greece continue to share a long-
                held belief that political power belongs in the hands 
                of the people. On this 199th anniversary of Greek 
                independence, we confirm the pillars of governance, 
                culture, and patriotism that have forged and continue 
                to sustain the faithful bond our two nations enjoy.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, 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 25, 2020, as 
                Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration 
                of Greek and

[[Page 17472]]

                American Democracy. I call upon the people of the 
                United States to observe this day with appropriate 
                ceremonies and activities.

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

[FR Doc. 2020-06627
Filed 3-26-20; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F0-P