United Nations Day, 1997

Proclamation 7044 of October 23, 1997

United Nations Day, 1997

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In April of 1945, representatives of 50 nations
gathered in San Francisco for the United Nations
Conference on International Organization. The leaders
assembled for that historic meeting were not idle
dreamers. They were experienced statesmen and hard
realists, horrified by the staggering destruction and
human misery wrought by two world wars, and convinced
that the conduct of international affairs must change.
The United Nations Charter that emerged from their
deliberations was a document both wise and hopeful--
wise in its recognition that lasting peace comes only
with respect for the dignity and value of every human
being, and hopeful in its determination to protect
future generations from the affliction of war.

As with all human enterprises, the United Nations has
had its share of failure and success in the 5 decades
since its Charter was ratified. But no one can dispute
that the U.N. has worked to make the world a better
place. Human suffering knows no borders, and men and
women of goodwill from nations across the globe have
dedicated their skills and energy to U.N. programs
committed to relieving such suffering. For half a
century, the organizations and programs of the United
Nations have fought hunger and disease, defended human
rights, provided disaster relief, taught sustainable
development, and cared for refugees.

The United Nations has also fulfilled its mission as a
force for peace in the world. For 50 years, it has
helped to avert another world war and prevent nuclear
holocaust. Today, it continues working to keep nations
like El Salvador, Haiti, Cyprus, and Bosnia from
further bloodshed. It serves as a voice for the
international community in defining acceptable behavior
and punishing those states that ignore the most basic
global norms of conduct. And the United Nations has
become a vital international crossroads, where men and
women of every race, culture, religion, and ethnic
background can come together to share their common
hopes and dreams.

The leaders who gathered in San Francisco so many years
ago would scarcely recognize our world today. For the
first time in history, more than half the world's
people freely choose their own governments. Free
markets are expanding, bringing with them exciting
opportunities for growth and prosperity. The satellite
and the microchip have revolutionized human
communication, changing forever the way we live and
work and interact. In this new global community, the
U.N. mission is as important as it was in the waning
days of World War II--pursuing peace and security,
promoting human rights, and striving to help move
people from poverty to prosperity.

We in the United States must continue our efforts to
help the United Nations rise to the challenges of our
time. Thanks to an ongoing reform process, we have seen
substantial improvements in management, administrative
accountability, and the setting of priorities by the
U.N. This progress has set the stage for broader
efforts to ensure that the United Nations is fully
prepared to continue to pursue the goals laid down in
its Charter.

As we observe United Nations Day this year, let us
remember all those whose foresight and determination
created this great international institution, and let
us thank all those who, with courage and conviction,
continue to fulfill its vital missions.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, 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 Friday, October 24, 1997, as
United Nations Day. I encourage all Americans to
acquaint themselves with the activities and
accomplishments of the United Nations, and to observe
this day with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and
activities furthering the goal of international
cooperation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-third day of October, in the year of our Lord
nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two
hundred and twenty-second.