Proclamations Proc. 7289 gether to ensure that Cuba, the only country that has not embraced our common vision, becomes a member of our community of democracies. By doing so, we can ensure that all the people in our hemisphere share in the blessings of freedom and in the promise of the global economy, living and working and raising their families in dignity and with hope for the future. NOW, THEREFORE I, WILLIAM }. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitu- tion and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Friday, April 14, 2000, as Pan American Day and April 9 through April 15, 2000 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 cere- monies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7289 of April 8, 2000 National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation As we stand at the dawn of a new century, we reflect with pride on all that our Nation has accomplished in the 224 years since we first declared our independence. Today we enjoy unprecedented peace and prosperity, and, as it has for generations, America shines as a beacon of democracy, freedom, and opportunity for peoples around the world. Yet the blessings we rejoice in today were won at great cost. Millions of young Americans who stepped forward in times of crisis or conflict to defend our Nation and uphold our values around the world sacrificed their freedom and lost their lives. The century just past will forever be known as the American century, not only because of our economic strength, mili- tary might, and technological prowess, but also because of the character, determination, and indomitable spirit our people demonstrated time and again. That character and spirit have never been more evident than when Americans have been held captive as prisoners of war. Suffering hunger, fear, isolation, and uncertainty, stripped of their freedom and often sub- jected to physical and psychological torture, American POWs nonetheless continued to serve our Nation with honor, dignity, and remarkable courage. For many, the long, agonizing days stretched into years, and the loss of freedom and the cruel separation from family, home, and friends left scars that the passage of time can never erase. We owe a profound debt of gratitude to these heroes who stood face to face with the forces of tyranny and oppression, true to our country and to the spirit of freedom even in captivity. We owe a debt as well to their fami- 53
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