Proc. 7288 Title 3--The President Dr. Martin Luther King, }r., reminded us that "everyone can be great be- cause anyone can serve." During National Volunteer Week, let us pause to thank all who have responded to that call to greatness, and let each of us make our own commitments to volunteer in our neighborhoods and com- munities. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM 1. 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 April 9 through April 15, 2000, as National Volunteer Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to express appreciation to the volunteers among us for their commitment to service and to encourage the spirit of volunteerism in our families and communities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh 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 7288 of April 8, 2000 Pan American Day and Pan American Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation This year on Pan American Day and during Pan American Week, we cel- ebrate the springtime of a new century in which the fundamental ideals of democracy and human rights are blossoming across our hemisphere. We stand at the threshold of a new era of economic development and pros- perity with a common determination to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities that face the Americas. Building on the agreements forged at the last two Summits of the Amer- icas in Miami and Santiago, we are witnessing unprecedented cooperation within our hemisphere. Efforts such as the negotiations on a Free Trade Area of the Americas, now progressing toward a concrete agreement in 2005, exemplify our commitment to building a self-sustaining and widely shared prosperity. We continue to work creatively through the Organization of American States to encourage constitutional solutions to political crises such as those that occurred in Paraguay and Ecuador. And we have wit- nessed elections in our region that were models of civic participation and a testament to the strength and vibrancy of democratic government in the Western Hemisphere. Such achievements illustrate that the well-being of our neighbors is fundamental to our own security and prosperity. We look forward to the Third Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, where the democratically elected leaders of 34 nations from North, Central, and South America will gather to review our progress, identify new challenges, and further enhance our cooperation. Even with our significant progress, however, challenges remain. The 34 free and democratically elected nations of this hemisphere must work to- 52
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