Presidential Documents

13997 

Federal Register 

Vol. 74, No. 58 

Friday, March 27, 2009 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 8353 of March 24, 2009 

Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of 

Greek and American Democracy, 2009 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

The American people join Hellenes today in commemorating the 188th 

anniversary of Greece’s independence. As we celebrate the establishment 

of the Hellenic Republic, we honor the historic contributions of Greeks 

and Greek-Americans. 

Americans celebrated the cause of Greek independence during the new 

nation’s earliest years. In 1824, summarizing support for the Greek struggle 

among the American people, then-Representative Henry Clay declared, ‘‘That 

it is felt with the deepest intensity, expressed in almost every possible 

form, and that it increases with every new day and passing hour.’’ His 

words are echoed today as Americans celebrate the anniversary of this 

struggle for independence. 

The relationship between Greece and the United States owes much to the 

vision of democracy and liberty forged in Greece. In constructing a modern 

democratic framework, our Nation’s founders drew upon the immutable 

principles of the ancient Greeks. All who cherish the ideal of democratic 

governance are beneficiaries of the Greek legacy. 

From the literary classics taught in our children’s classrooms to the gleaming 

monuments of our Nation’s capital, Greek cultural traditions have also found 

a home in the United States. In classrooms across the country, many of 

our students still immerse themselves in the epics of Homer, the dramas 

of Sophocles, and the philosophical innovations of Plato and Aristotle. 

Among the Greek-influenced structures in Washington, D.C., our Nation’s 

Capitol Building draws upon the architectural legacy of the ancient Greeks. 

In recent history, Greece and the United States have stood together to meet 

the challenges of our times. Greeks and Americans fought for common 

causes over the course of the 20th century and continue to collaborate 

in this century, including through membership in the North Atlantic Treaty 

Organization. 

The strength of the bond between Greece and the United States is exemplified 

by the Greek-American community, which enriches our Nation with its 

cultural heritage and helps maintain the living relationship between our 

countries. 

On the anniversary of Greece’s independence, we celebrate this friendship 

and look forward to realizing our common goals and aspirations. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States 

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 

and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 25, 2009, as 

‘‘Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and 

American Democracy.’’ I call upon the people of the United States to observe 

this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. 


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13998 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 58 / Friday, March 27, 2009 / Presidential Documents 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth 

day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the 

Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirtythird. 

[FR Doc. E9–7115 

Filed 3–26–09; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3195–W9–P 


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