105 STAT. 2460 PROCLAMATION 6227—NOV. 13, 1990 youngsters' homework and academic progress; by participating in parent-teacher organizations; and by insisting on fair and effective local school boards. Government can encourage parental involvement by expanding choice in education. At home, in the classroom, in public office, and in the community at large, all of us can and must work toward achieving our national education goals. Each of us is accountable for the quality of American education, and each of us has a vital stake in its future. This week let us reaffirm our determination to make excellence, once again and always, the hallmark of American education. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE 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 the week beginning November 11, 1990, as American Education Week. I urge all Americans to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH Proclamation 6227 of November 13, 1990 Geography Awareness Week, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation From the vast, frozen tundra of the Arctic to the exotic reaches of South American rain forests, the world in which we live is a beautiful and fascinating place. As varied as the climates, terrain, and natural resources found on our planet, however, are the peoples who inhabit it. Americans who lack fundamental knowledge of the world's peoples and their surroundings cannot fully appreciate or enjoy Earth's diversity and splendor. On a larger scale, the lack of even elementary geographic knowledge among many Americans places our entire Nation at a disadvantage in matters of foreign policy and international commerce. Geography has been a pivotal factor in the social, economic, and political development of virtually every country in the world. Thus the study of geography is not only exciting but also essential to understanding history and to participating successfully in today's global community. We Americans cannot formulate or maintain effective foreign policies, trade strategies, and business practices if the physical characteristics and cultural and political boimdaries of the world are unfamiliar to us. We cannot respond effectively to dramatic changes around the globe if we do not fully comprehend the location and significance of such events. Moreover, our ability to promote international understanding and cooperation depends, in large part, on our ability to understand the
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