124 STAT. 4608 PROCLAMATION 8495—APR. 9, 2010 ica’s youth to resist peer pressure, and to abstain from drugs, gangs, and violence. We all have a responsibility to join these professionals in enabling youth to choose alternatives to violence and dangerous be- havior and to lead the next generation of Americans toward a brighter future. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con- stitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 8, 2010, as National D.A.R.E. Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Inde- pendence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty- fourth. BARACK OBAMA Proclamation 8495 of April 9, 2010 Pan American Day and Pan American Week, 2010 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation More than 200 years of history and significant current events have re- inforced the strong bonds of friendship and common purpose among the nations and people of the Americas. The year 2010 marks the 80th anniversary of the first Pan American Day Proclamation; the centennial anniversary of the dedication of the Organization of American States’ headquarters, the Pan American Union Building; and the bicentennials of four of our fellow republics: Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and Chile. These milestones remind us of our shared histories of independence and interdependence, and of our long and arduous journeys toward the just, free, inclusive, and prosperous nations our founders envisioned. My Administration is committed to building strong partnerships in the Americas. We are focused on supporting social and economic oppor- tunity, ensuring the safety of our citizens, strengthening democratic in- stitutions and accountability, and building a secure and clean energy future. This is the message members of the Administration are carrying with them throughout the Americas, and the United States will focus on these principles as we partner with friends and neighbors across the Americas. Our combined response to this year’s devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile demonstrates the enduring strength of Pan American soli- darity. As we mourn these tragic losses of life, hope prevails in our hemisphere’s extraordinary assistance to the Haitian and Chilean peo- ples. The United States will continue to support these reconstruction efforts. As we commemorate this year’s special anniversaries and take note of our combined rescue and relief efforts, let us reaffirm the vision Presi- dent Franklin Delano Roosevelt expressed at the 1936 Inter-American
