Proclamations Proc. 7358 establishing a safe, reliable route between Europe and the New World, Co- lumbus opened the door for subsequent explorers from Spain, France, and England and for the millions of immigrants who would be welcomed by America in later centuries. But the encounters between Columbus and other European explorers and the native peoples of the Western Hemi- sphere also underscore what can happen when cultures clash and when we are unable to understand and respect people who are different from us. While more than 500 years have passed since Christopher Columbus first sailed to these shores, the lessons of his voyage are still with us. Brave, determined, open to new ideas and new experiences, in many ways he foreshadowed the character of the American people who honor him today. In tribute to Columbus' many achievements, the Congress, by joint resolu- tion of April a0, 10a4 (4g Star. 657), and an Act of June 2g, 1\3656g (g2 Star. 250), has requested the President to proclaim the second Monday in Octo- ber of each year as "Columbus Day." NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October O, 2000, as Columbus Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appro- priate ceremonies and activities. I also direct that the flag of the United States be displayed on all public buildings on the appointed day in honor of Christopher Columbus. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of Oc- tober, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7358 of October 6, 2000 Leif Erikson Day, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation This year, as we mark the beginning of a new millennium, we also cele- brate the 1000th anniversary of Europe's first contact with North America. At the turn of the last millennium, the legendary explorer Leif Erikson-- son of Iceland, grandson of Norway--sailed across the cold waters of the Atlantic from his home in Greenland to the eastern coast of North America, completing the first documented voyage of Europeans to the New World. In the ensuing centuries, millions of other men and women followed the lead of these brave Vikings--some seeking riches, some seeking adventure, all in search of a new and better life. Families from Denmark, Finland, Ice- land, Sweden, and Norway would make their new homes in communities like New Sweden, Delaware; Oslo, Minnesota; and Denmark, Iowa, bringing with them a reverence for freedom and a deep love of democracy that stemmed from their own egalitarian traditions. More than 10 million Amer- icans today can trace their roots to the Nordic countries, and their family ties, traditions, and values have strengthened the warm friendship our Na- tion has always enjoyed with the people of Scandinavia. 177
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