Presidential Documents

29925 

Federal Register 

Vol. 86, No. 105 

Thursday, June 3, 2021 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 10218 of May 28, 2021 

Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2021 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

On Memorial Day, we honor and reflect upon the courage, integrity, and 

selfless dedication of the members of our Armed Forces who have made 

the greatest sacrifice in service to our Nation. Whether in the waters of 

the Pacific, on the beachheads of Europe, in the deserts of the Middle 

East, or in the mountains of Afghanistan, American service members have 

given their lives to uphold our Constitution and to defend the safety and 

freedoms of our citizens. These patriots embody the best of the American 

spirit. They put themselves on the line for our shared values—for duty, 

honor, country—and they paid the ultimate price. Our Nation can never 

fully repay the debt we owe to our fallen heroes and their families. 

Jill and I know what it means to have a child serving in a war zone— 

the ever-present concern for your loved one and their fellow service members. 

Today and every day, we ask God to protect our troops. We also recognize 

the tremendous loss endured by America’s Gold Star families—the families 

of military members who died in conflict. We have a sacred obligation 

as a Nation to support those families and to always honor the memories 

of their loved ones. 

That is the vow we make each year on Memorial Day. Our Nation will 

never forget the courage and patriotism demonstrated by the countless women 

and men who laid down their lives so that we may continue to pursue 

a more perfect Union and to protect the unalienable rights Americans hold 

dear. They came from every part of the country, of every background and 

belief, united by a shared belief in our uniquely American creed—that 

all people are created equal. We will honor their legacy by continuing 

our work to live up to that commitment and to advance the values they 

lived and died to defend. We will continue to fight for equity and inclusion 

in our country and institutions, and ensure every qualified American who 

is willing to serve our country—regardless of race, religion, gender identity, 

sexual orientation, or background—has a fair and equal opportunity to do 

so. 

We will continue to honor our fallen service members through the actions 

of a new generation who volunteer to serve in uniform, who anchor our 

military to our democratic values, and who stand ready to deter aggression 

from our enemies and, if required, fight and defend our Nation. Today— 

as we keep true to the memory of our fallen heroes—we will endeavor 

to meet their legacy and once more lead the world through the power 

of our example and not just the example of our power. 

As our Nation’s service members continue to risk their lives to protect 

our homeland and thwart our enemies, we must not lose sight of our 

desire for enduring peace. Every day, countless Americans pray and work 

for peace so that we may one day live in a world where American patriots 

need not make the ultimate sacrifice, and where all people live in freedom 

and prosperity. As a Nation, we are grateful to the brave members of our 

Armed Services—both past and present—who have forged the legacy for 

that possibility. 


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29926 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 105 / Thursday, June 3, 2021 / Presidential Documents 

In honor and recognition of all of our fallen service members, the Congress, 

by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), 

has requested that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people 

of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer 

for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people 

of the United States might unite in prayer and reflection. The Congress, 

by Public Law 106–579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that 

day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National 

Moment of Remembrance. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States 

of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 31, 2021, as a day 

of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each 

locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when people might unite in 

prayer and reflection. I urge the press, radio, television, and all other information media to cooperate in this observance. I further ask all Americans 

to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. 

local time on Memorial Day. 

I request the Governors of the United States and its Territories, and the 

appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be 

flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, 

and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under 

its jurisdiction and control. I also request the people of the United States 

to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon 

period. 

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

day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of 

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

forty-fifth. 

[FR Doc. 2021–11817 

Filed 6–2–21; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3295–F1–P 


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