[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 43 (Monday, October 27, 1997)]
[Pages 1642-1643]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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Proclamation 7044--United Nations Day, 1997

October 23, 1997

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    In April of 1945, representatives of 50 nations gathered in San 
Francisco for the United Nations Conference on International 
Organization. The leaders assembled for that historic meeting were not 
idle dreamers. They were experienced statesmen and hard realists, 
horrified by the staggering destruction and human misery wrought by two 
world wars, and convinced that the conduct of international affairs must 
change. The United Nations Charter that emerged from their deliberations 
was a document both wise and hopeful--wise in its recognition that 
lasting peace comes only with respect for the dignity and value of every 
human being, and hopeful in its determination to protect future 
generations from the affliction of war.
    As with all human enterprises, the United Nations has had its share 
of failure and success in the 5 decades since its Charter was ratified. 
But no one can dispute that the U.N. has worked to make the world a 
better place. Human suffering knows no borders, and men and women of 
goodwill from nations across the globe have dedicated their skills and 
energy to U.N. programs committed to relieving such suffering. For half 
a century, the organizations and programs of the United Nations have 
fought hunger and disease, defended human rights, provided disaster 
relief, taught sustainable development, and cared for refugees.
    The United Nations has also fulfilled its mission as a force for 
peace in the world. For 50 years, it has helped to avert another world 
war and prevent nuclear holocaust. Today, it continues working to keep 
nations like El Salvador, Haiti, Cyprus, and Bosnia from further 
bloodshed. It serves as a voice for the international community in 
defining acceptable behavior and punishing those states that ignore the 
most basic global norms of conduct. And the United Nations has become a 
vital international crossroads, where men and women of every race, 
culture, religion, and ethnic background can come together to share 
their common hopes and dreams.
    The leaders who gathered in San Francisco so many years ago would 
scarcely recognize our world today. For the first time in history, more 
than half the world's people freely choose their own governments. Free 
markets are expanding, bringing with them exciting opportunities for 
growth and prosperity. The satellite and the microchip have 
revolutionized human communication, changing forever the way we live and 
work and interact. In this new global community, the U.N. mission is as 
important as it was in the waning days of World War II--pursuing peace 
and security, promoting human rights, and striving to help move people 
from poverty to prosperity.
    We in the United States must continue our efforts to help the United 
Nations rise to the challenges of our time. Thanks to an ongoing reform 
process, we have seen substantial improvements in management, 
administrative accountability, and the setting of priorities by the U.N. 
This progress has set the stage for broader efforts to ensure that the 
United Nations is fully prepared to continue to pursue the goals laid 
down in its Charter.
    As we observe United Nations Day this year, let us remember all 
those whose foresight and determination created this great international 
institution, and let us thank all those who, with courage and 
conviction, continue to fulfill its vital missions.
    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 Friday, 
October 24, 1997, as United Nations Day. I encourage all Americans to 
acquaint themselves with the activities and accomplishments of the

[[Page 1643]]

United Nations, and to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, 
programs, and activities furthering the goal of international 
cooperation.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third 
day of October, 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-second.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11 a.m., October 24, 
1997]

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