    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [April 30, 1999]
    [Pages 664-665]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Friends of Art and Preservation in Embassies Dinner
    April 30, 1999

        Well, let me say to all of you, first, welcome. I want to thank Jo
    Carole Lauder, Robin Chandler Duke, Ann Gund, everyone else
    who has worked on this program.
        You know, I look forward to this every year. This is a night when I
    can appreciate what is constant about our Embassies, rather than what is
    changing in our relationships with the countries involved. [Laughter]
    And I must say that tonight is especially important. I want to welcome
    the artists, those who have made such generous gifts. Any number of
    representatives of the governments of other nations are here tonight,
    and we welcome them, as well. I want to say a special word of thank you
    to Joel Shapiro for helping to make our new
    Embassy in Ottawa a showcase of the best in American art.
        The Arts in Embassies program is quite a success all around the
    world. And as you might imagine, Hillary and I, because we have had the
    opportunity and the responsibility to travel quite a lot, have seen more
    of the fruits of your labors than almost any other Americans. I can tell
    you, having spent the night in any number of Embassies, held any number
    of receptions, one of the things that people always comment on is the
    art. And many, many people come to see the President when I'm in a given
    country who don't know anything about our Arts in Embassies program, and
    so I have become one of your better ambassadors of good will--
    [laughter]--in explaining how we come to have all this magnificent art
    in our Embassies throughout the world.
        Senator Specter, I have never claimed that
    Congress spent taxpayers' money on it, but neither have I denied it.
    [Laughter]
        And as all of you know--and Hillary was talking about some of the
    art we have in the White House--one of the great pleasures of living
    here is just living around the art that is here. And to all of you who
    have contributed to the art in the White House, many over several
    decades, I am profoundly grateful for that, as well.
        Robin mentioned that this is not the easiest of moments for our
    country because of what we are trying to achieve in Kosovo. And she said
    that it was, therefore, especially appreciated that Hillary and I would
    have you here tonight. I would argue that it's especially important that
    you be here tonight. And I'd like to read you something that I hope
    makes the point.
        In the springtime of 1941, as fascism spread across Europe,
    destroying lives and liberties, President Roosevelt spoke at the
    dedication of the National Gallery here in Washington. His words seemed
    to me particularly relevant today, and I'd like to share a few of them
    with you.
        He said, ``Art is part of the present life of all the living and
    creating peoples--all who make and build. These paintings are symbols of
    the human spirit. To accept this work today is to assert that the
    freedom of the human spirit shall not be utterly destroyed.''
        All around the world, our American Embassies are helping people to
    follow the path of freedom and democracy. Our efforts and those of our
    NATO Allies are standing for that freedom and against the principle of
    ethnic cleansing, racial and religious exclusivity as a basis for
    killing and uprooting people and destroying their cultures.
        This is a particularly painful thing for any American with any sense
    of history, for the Serbs were our grand allies in World War II. They
    stood against Hitler, and they fought bravely. And they have their
    legitimate historical grievances, as do most ethnic groups in Europe,
    Asia, Africa, or any other part of the world. We hope to be reconciled
    with them.

    [[Page 665]]

        But one of the things we all have to learn is to affirm our common
    humanity, even if it means setting aside our legitimate historical
    grievance. And that is what we are working for. That is what art, the
    advancement of art, the defense of the freedom of expression and
    creativity represent--our common humanity, the triumphs over all the
    differences that, when contained, make life more interesting; when
    unleashed as a weapon of war, make it unbearable.
        So I ask you to stay with this program long after Hillary and I
    leave the White House, as the best expression not only of artistic
    creativity but the universal rights of human beings to be free.
        Thank you, and God bless you.

    Note: The President spoke at 7:18 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Jo Carole Lauder, chair, and Ann
    Gund, president, Friends of Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE);
    Robin Chandler Duke, cochair, FAPE Millennium Project; and sculptor Joel
    Shapiro. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary
    also included the remarks of the First Lady.