Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 198 / Thursday, October 12, 2000 / Presidential Documents 60579

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 celebrate

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,

Iceland, 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 Americans today can trace their roots to the Nordic countries, and their family

ties, traditions, and values have strengthened the warm friendship our Nation

has always enjoyed with the people of Scandinavia.

In celebration of this friendship and our shared pride in Leif Erikson’s

exploits, Americans have joined with the Nordic countries to commemorate

this special anniversary. The Smithsonian Institution sponsored a traveling

exhibit earlier this year to highlight the Viking explorations of North America;

the Library of Congress hosted an international symposium on the ancient

texts of the Icelandic Sagas, many of which were displayed in the United

States for the first time; and we joined Iceland in creating our first jointly

issued coin to commemorate Leif Erikson’s historic voyage.

These cultural initiatives reflect the strong ties and long history between

the United States and the Nordic countries, and we continue to cooperate

on many mutual goals. The Nordic countries are our full partners in the

Northern Europe Initiative (NEI), which we launched in 1997 to build on

the dramatic progress toward a free Europe that occurred following the

break-up of the Soviet Union. Through the NEI, we are working together

to promote democracy, stability, and prosperity in the Baltic nations and

northwest Russia, to facilitate their fuller integration into Western institutions, and to cooperate on such cross-border issues as energy, health, law

enforcement, and the environment. In addition, many of the best and brightest

entrepreneurs in America and the Nordic countries are collaborating to

encourage trade and the spread of innovative ideas and technologies around

the world. Americans and Nordics alike value courage, independence, energy,

and resourcefulness; working together in this new millennium, we are charting a new course for our people just as exciting and full of promise as

the one Leif Erikson traveled a thousand years ago.

In honor of Leif Erikson and of our Nordic American heritage, the Congress,

by joint resolution (Public Law 88–566) approved on September 2, 1964,

has authorized and requested the President to proclaim October 9 of each

year as ‘‘Leif Erikson Day.’’

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States

of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 9, 2000, as Leif Erikson

60580 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 198 / Thursday, October 12, 2000 / Presidential Documents

Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to honor our rich Nordic American heritage.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of

October, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence

[FR Doc. 00–26396

Filed 10–11–00; 8:45 am]

Billing code 3195–01–P

of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

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