97 STAT. 1640 PROCLAMATION 5120—OCT. 21, 1983 onds and spanning only 120 yards, followed 120 years of unsuccessful at- tempts to accomplish such a feat. Although short when measured against today's trans-meridian flights, its significance was great because it estab- lished the foundation for future successes in aviation which continue to enrich the quality of our lives today. This year we also celebrate the bicentennial of man's first flight. Two hun- dred years ago, on August 27, 1783, the Montgolfier Brothers of France first launched a manned hot air balloon into the atmosphere. Shortly thereafter, in a balloon constructed by an American lawyer, Peter Carnes, Esq., the first American ventured aloft in a tethered balloon in Baltimore. This year also marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the signing of the Fed- 49 USC app. 1301 eral Aviation Act of 1958. This legislation created the Federal Aviation Ad- ^°*®- ministration, which has played a central role in making civil air carriage ten times safer than it was in 1958, thus helping to advance the progress of civil aviation and to fulfill the Wright Brothers' dreams of the future role aviation would have in our world. To commemorate the historic achievement of the Wright Brothers, the Con- gress, by joint resolution of December 17, 1963 [77 Stat. 402; 36 U.S.C. 169), designated the seventeenth day of December of each year as Wright Broth- ers Day and requested the President to issue a proclamation annually invit- ing the people of the United States to observe that day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby call upon the people of this Nation and their local and national governmental officials to observe Wright Brothers Day, De- cember 17, 1983, with appropriate ceremonies and activities, both to recall the accomplishments and to stimulate the development of aviation in this country and throughout the world. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of Oct., in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eighth. RONALD REAGAN Proclamation 5120 of October 21, 1983 Metropolitan Opera Day, 1983 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Among this Nation's greatest treasures are the creative talents of our people and the opportunities available for them to develop their talents and thereby enhance the richness of our cultural life. In every artistic discipline, great American artists and institutions have established ever-rising stand- ards of achievement to challenge and inspire successive generations. No single institution embodies this tradition of sustained artistic achieve- ment more fully than the Metropolitan Opera, which is celebrating 100 years of extraordinary contributions to the culture of America. Legendary performances of music theater masterpieces have filled the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, halls across the country during the Company's annual tours, and millions of American homes through live radio and televi- sion broadcasts which have become part of our national tradition. The Met-
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