    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [September 29, 1997]
    [Pages 1266-1267]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message on the Observance of National Arts and Humanities Month, 1997
    September 29, 1997

        America celebrates October as National Arts and Humanities Month to
    recognize the unique role that the arts and humanities play in the lives
    of our families, our communities, and our country.
        For more than 200 years, the arts and humanities have distinguished
    us as individuals and united us as a nation. The arts empower us to
    express ourselves and to understand and appreciate the expressions of
    others. Through the study of literature, history, and philosophy, we
    learn to build on the riches of our past to create a firm foundation for
    a better future. Together, the arts and humanities teach us to celebrate
    the cultural diversity unique to America, while transcending differences
    in race, ethnicity, age, or creed.
        Each day our world evolves further from our notion of the familiar,
    and we must adapt to its changing nature. In this challenging time, we
    look to our artists and scholars to inform our decisions and our
    actions. Musicians, actors, philosophers, playwrights, painters,
    writers, sculptors, dancers, and historians share with us their talent
    and training, inspiring our finest achievements and giving voice to our
    deepest aspirations.
        Because we discover our greatest possibilities through the
    exploration of the human spirit, we must encourage our young people to
    build on this cultural legacy and seek their highest potential in the
    arts and humanities. Children inspired by their own creative
    achievements excel in other areas of learning, developing the skills and
    the confidence to create better lives and brighter futures.
        As we observe National Arts and Humanities Month this year, let us
    reflect on the role of these vital pursuits in our individual lives and
    in the life of our democracy. Today, on the threshold of a new
    millennium, they are more essential than ever to the endurance of our
    values of tolerance, pluralism, and freedom; to our understanding of
    where we are and where we

    [[Page 1267]]

    need to go. Let us remember that the arts and humanities are a
    necessity, not a luxury, and that every American deserves to have access
    to them. And let us resolve to sustain America's national commitment to
    the arts and humanities so that we may preserve for the generations to
    come the great artistic and intellectual life of our nation.

                                                                Bill Clinton

    Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    September 29.