[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
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.

[[Page 3314]]

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 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.

[[Page 3315]]

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.
BARACK OBAMA