[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 13 (Monday, March 31, 1997)]
[Page 412]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 6979--Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration 
of Greek and American Democracy, 1997

March 25, 1997

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    Today, the Greek people and the Hellenic Republic will celebrate the 
176th anniversary of the beginning of their struggle for independence.
    On this day, it is fitting that we reflect on the enormous 
contributions the Greek people have made to the modern world. The legacy 
of the ancient Greeks, in the fields of philosophy, literature, drama, 
sculpture, and architecture, continues to influence our beliefs, our 
values, and our concept of art. And, after more than 2,000 years, the 
ideology of Greece--as embodied in the concept of democracy--is still 
the ideal that guides us in charting our course for the future.
    Greek ideology had a profound effect on our Founding Fathers, who 
molded the American form of government based upon the principles of 
Greek democracy. Thomas Jefferson studied the Greek classics in his 
youth and was inspired by their philosophy throughout his life, most 
dramatically when he crafted the Declaration of Independence. When 
formulating his vision for this country, Jefferson specifically referred 
to the integrated assertions, theories, and aims of the classic Greek 
world.
    Our admiration for Greece continues into the modern day, and we 
salute its commitment to democracy, to peace, and to a united and stable 
Europe. We share a partnership with Greece in NATO, and our countries 
are linked forever by close family relationships between our peoples. 
Our Nation looks forward to working closely with Greece in the coming 
years as we examine ways to bring full peace, stability, and prosperity 
to all the nations of Europe and the world.
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United 
States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the 
Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 25, 
1997, as Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek 
and American Democracy. I call upon all Americans to observe this day 
with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth 
day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, 
and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred 
and twenty-first.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:34 a.m., March 26, 
1997]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on March 
27.