[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 18 (Monday, May 10, 1999)]
[Pages 777-778]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the Friends of Art and Preservation in Embassies Dinner

April 30, 1999

    Well, let me say to all of you, first, welcome. I want to thank Jo 
Carole Lauder, Robin Chandler Duke, Ann Gund, everyone else who has 
worked on this program.
    You know, I look forward to this every year. This is a night when I 
can appreciate what is constant about our embassies, rather than what is 
changing in our relationships with the countries involved. [Laughter] 
And I must say that tonight is especially important. I want to welcome 
the artists, those who have made such generous gifts. Any number of 
representatives of the governments of other nations are here tonight, 
and we welcome them, as well. I want to say a special word of thank you 
to Joel Shapiro for helping to make our new Embassy in Ottawa a showcase 
of the best in American art.
    The Arts in Embassies program is quite a success all around the 
world. And as you might imagine, Hillary and I, because we have had the 
opportunity and the responsibility to travel quite a lot, have seen more 
of the fruits of your labors than almost any

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other Americans. I can tell you, having spent the night in any number of 
Embassies, held any number of receptions, one of the things that people 
always comment on is the art. And many, many people come to see the 
President when I'm in a given country who don't know anything about our 
Arts in Embassies program, and so I have become one of your better 
ambassadors of good will--[laughter]--in explaining how we come to have 
all this magnificent art in our Embassies throughout the world.
    Senator Specter, I have never claimed that Congress spent taxpayers' 
money on it, but neither have I denied it. [Laughter]
    And as all of you know--and Hillary was talking about some of the 
art we have in the White House--one of the great pleasures of living 
here is just living around the art that is here. And to all of you who 
have contributed to the art in the White House, many over several 
decades, I am profoundly grateful for that, as well.
    Robin mentioned that this is not the easiest of moments for our 
country because of what we are trying to achieve in Kosovo. And she said 
that it was, therefore, especially appreciated that Hillary and I would 
have you here tonight. I would argue that it's especially important that 
you be here tonight. And I'd like to read you something that I hope 
makes the point.
    In the springtime of 1941, as fascism spread across Europe, 
destroying lives and liberties, President Roosevelt spoke at the 
dedication of the National Gallery here in Washington. His words seemed 
to me particularly relevant today, and I'd like to share a few of them 
with you.
    He said, ``Art is part of the present life of all the living and 
creating peoples--all who make and build. These paintings are symbols of 
the human spirit. To accept this work today is to assert that the 
freedom of the human spirit shall not be utterly destroyed.''
    All around the world, our American Embassies are helping people to 
follow the path of freedom and democracy. Our efforts and those of our 
NATO Allies are standing for that freedom and against the principle of 
ethnic cleansing, racial and religious exclusivity as a basis for 
killing and uprooting people and destroying their cultures.
    This is a particularly painful thing for any American with any sense 
of history, for the Serbs were our grand allies in World War II. They 
stood against Hitler, and they fought bravely. And they have their 
legitimate historical grievances, as do most ethnic groups in Europe, 
Asia, Africa, or any other part of the world. We hope to be reconciled 
with them.
    But one of the things we all have to learn is to affirm our common 
humanity, even if it means setting aside our legitimate historical 
grievance. And that is what we are working for. That is what art, the 
advancement of art, the defense of the freedom of expression and 
creativity represent--our common humanity, the triumphs over all the 
differences that, when contained, make life more interesting; when 
unleashed as a weapon of war, make it unbearable.
    So I ask you to stay with this program long after Hillary and I 
leave the White House, as the best expression not only of artistic 
creativity, but the universal rights of human beings to be free.
    Thank you, and God bless you.

Note: The President spoke at 7:18 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Jo Carole Lauder, chair, and Ann 
Gund, president, Friends of Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE); 
Robin Chandler Duke, cochair, FAPE Millennium Project; and Joel Shapiro, 
sculptor. The transcript made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary also included the remarks of the First Lady. This item was not 
received in time for publication in the appropriate issue.