[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 41 (Monday, October 12, 1998)]
[Pages 2011-2012]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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Proclamation 7135--Leif Erikson Day, 1998

October 8, 1998

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    Almost a thousand years ago, the great Norse explorer Leif Erikson 
first set foot on the North American continent. In commemorating Leif 
Erikson Day each year, we honor the pioneering spirit of this son of 
Iceland and grandson of Norway. We recall the daring of the Viking 
seafarers, who saw the ocean not as a boundary but as a gateway to 
another world, and we pay tribute to the courage of their descendants 
who, centuries later would brave their own ocean journeys to find a new 
life in America.
    This thirst for adventure has remained a fundamental trait of the 
American character since our earliest days as a Nation. But men and 
women of the Nordic countries brought other important strengths to their 
adopted land as well: resourcefulness, self-reliance, determination, a 
willingness to work hard, a love of freedom, and a belief in human 
dignity. Leif Erikson's arrival in North America brought not only the 
explorer's passion to our country, but also laid the foundations of the 
friendship the United States enjoys today with the Nordic countries. 
Building on the values we share, our nations have made a powerful 
commitment to protect and expand political, religious, and economic 
freedom to peoples around the world. Staunch allies in times of peace 
and war, the United States and the countries of Scandinavia look forward 
to the year 2000 when we will commemorate together the 1000th 
anniversary of Leif Erikson's historic voyage to our continent and 
celebrate the important and lasting contributions the sons and daughters 
of Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland have made to the 
history and heritage of our Nation.
    In honor of Leif Erikson, the Congress, by joint resolution approved 
on September 2, 1964 (Public Law 88-566), has authorized and requested 
the President to proclaim October 9 of each year as ``Leif Erikson 
Day.''
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United 
States of America, do hereby proclaim October 9, 1998, as Leif Erikson 
Day. I encourage the people of the United States to observe this 
occasion with appropriate ceremonies and activities commemorating our 
rich Nordic-American heritage.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of 
October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, and 
of the Independence of the

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United States of America the two hundred and twenty-third.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:52 a.m., October 13, 
1998]

Note: This proclamation will be published in the Federal Register on 
October 14.