[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 52 (Monday, January 3, 2000)]
[Pages 2678-2679]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message on the Observance 
of a New Millennium

December 30, 1999

    Warm greetings to all Americans as we welcome a new century and a 
new millennium. This rare moment in our history is a time for hope and 
reflection, a time to recognize both the challenges and the 
opportunities that will face us in the coming years.
    We have much to celebrate on this wonderful occasion and many 
reasons to be

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proud. Today we are enjoying the longest sustained period of economic 
growth in our nation's history, offering greater opportunities for every 
American. We can be rightfully proud, too, that the history of our 
democracy, with its widening circle of human freedom, still inspires the 
world and that America continues to serve as a leader in promoting peace 
and human rights across the globe.
    Even as we celebrate our successes, however, we must also 
acknowledge that we face many challenges in the century ahead. While we 
are making great strides toward achieving full equality and justice for 
all Americans, we must ensure that in the coming century all our people 
live in One America--an America where we are not separated from one 
another by prejudice, by economic injustice, or by a digital divide.
    We must have the vision to use new technology to improve our schools 
and stir the creativity of our young people; and we must ensure that 
every school and every child has access to the treasury of electronic 
resources that lies just beyond our keyboards and computer screens. We 
must continue our efforts to find cures for the diseases that still 
afflict us and that ravage many parts of the developing world. And we 
must put new resources at the disposal of our artists, scholars, and 
scientists to help them make new discoveries, preserve our historic 
legacy, and light tomorrow with the fire of their imaginations.
    The theme for our national millennial celebration is ``Honor the 
Past--Imagine the Future.'' By resolving at this moment to make a 
lasting difference in the lives of others, both in our communities and 
around the world, we will keep faith with our great past and ensure that 
America's future will reflect our fundamental ideals of freedom and 
opportunity for all.
    Best wishes for an unforgettable celebration.
                                                  Bill Clinton