[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 58 (Friday, March 27, 2009)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 13997-13998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7115]



[[Page 13995]]

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Part IV





The President





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Proclamation 8353--Greek Independence Day: A National Day of 
Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2009


                        Presidential Documents 



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

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 13997]]

                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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                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 thirty-third.
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                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. E9-7115
Filed 3-26-09; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3195-W9-P