[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 14 (Monday, April 12, 1999)]
[Pages 619-620]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7181--Pan American Day and Pan American Week, 1999

April 9, 1999

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    Inspired by the powerful words of Thomas Jefferson, the courageous 
military tactics of Jose de San Martin, and the revolutionary spirit of 
Simon Bolivar and many other leaders, the peoples of the Americas forged 
their nations with a profound respect for liberty and justice. Today, a 
devotion to democratic ideals unifies the countries in our hemisphere. 
The strengthening of democratic institutions and practices throughout 
the Americas reflects our enduring commitment to human rights, free and 
fair elections, and the rule of law. The expansion of open markets 
illustrates our determination to achieve sustainable economic growth. At 
the dawn of a new millennium, we must work with a renewed spirit of 
cooperation to meet the challenges of our future and fulfill the destiny 
of our region.
    In strengthening the ties that bind our nations together, we 
reaffirm our shared commitment of democracy and to the security of our 
hemisphere. Last April, the democratically elected leaders of our 
hemisphere met in Santiago, Chile, for the second Summit of the 
Americas. Building on the foundation laid at the Miami Summit in 1994, 
we developed an action plan for the future. Our strategy includes 
concrete methods to strengthen democracy, protect human rights, increase 
access to education, expand free and fair trade, and reduce corruption.
    Thanks in part to the strong bonds between the nations of the 
Americas, our region has achieved an unprecedented era of peace and 
stability. As one of the world's oldest regional alliances, the 
Organization of American States has served as a guiding institution in 
that endeavor. Through several vital initiatives, it has worked to 
foster multilateral cooperation, to bolster hemispheric security, to 
resolve regional disputes, and to combat corruption, drug trafficking, 
and international terrorism. Our community of democracies also 
encouraged the governments of Peru and Ecuador to sign an historic Peace 
Accord last October that finally put their longstanding border dispute 
to an end.
    As we look to our common future, we must not forget that our vision 
for the Western Hemisphere also includes Cuba, whose citizens must be 
allowed the fruits of liberty and the rewards of integration. We must 
also remember that our commitment to closer cooperation becomes 
especially important in times of tragedy. As hundreds of thousands of 
people across the Americas work to rebuild their homes and their lives 
in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch and the earthquake in Colombia, we 
must be there to lend a helping hand and to provide the tools necessary 
to revitalize the economies of our neighbors and help renew their 
communities. United by a proud history and a shared interest in 
deepening political, cultural, and economic ties, the democracies of our 
hemisphere can serve as a beacon of peace and prosperity for citizens 
around 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 
Wednesday, April 14, 1999, as Pan American Day and April 11 through 
April 17, 1999, as Pan American Week. I urge the Governors of the 50 
States, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the 
officials of other areas under the flag of the United States to honor 
these observances with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of 
April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-nine, and of 
the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 
twenty-third.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., April 12, 
1999]

Note: This proclamation will be published in the Federal Register on 
April 13.

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