Proc. 7635 Title 3--The President In commemorating Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human Rights Week, we renew our pledge to uphold the vital principles of free- dom, equality, and opportunity that have made our Nation strong. By work- ing together to advance the rights of all people, we help to build mutual trust and peace for all individuals across this land and around the world. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, 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 December 10, 2002, as Human Rights Day; December 15, 2002, as Bill of Rights Day; and the week beginning December 10, 2002, as Human Rights Week. I call upon the peo- ple of the United States to honor the legacy of human rights passed down to us from previous generations and to resolve that such liberties will pre- vail in our Nation and throughout the world. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, and of the Independ- ence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-seventh. GEORGE W. BUSH Proclamation 7635 of December 16, 2002 Wright Brothers Day, 2002 By the President of the United States of Arnerica Throughout our Nation's history, Americans have contributed to important technological breakthroughs that have improved the quality of life for countless individuals. On December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the first successfully sus- tained and controlled flight with a heavier-than-air, engine-powered air- craft. In the 99 years since that revolutionary event, mankind has flown across oceans, broken the sound barrier, launched satellites, and landed on the moon. On Wright Brothers Day, we celebrate the vision and determina- tion of these innovators whose remarkable achievements changed the world forever. The first successful powered flight on the morning of December 17, 1903, lasted only 12 seconds and spanned approximately 120 feet; but the Wright brothers' ideas and design led to countless advances in aviation. Between 1899 and 1905, they constructed a total of seven aircraft, and through this extensive research and experimentation, Orville and Wilbur Wright estab- lished the foundation of modern aeronautics. The airplane has played a critical role in improving our national defense, our economy, and our Nation. It has enabled trade to thrive, strengthened our economic security, and fostered friendship and goodwill throughout the world. Today, Americans rely on airplanes to deliver emergency treat- ment to the sick or injured, bring families together, and link us to every corner of the globe. The United States remains committed to supporting progress in technology that secures air travel, enhances our national defense, and ensures the suc- 192
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