International Year of the Child, 1979 Remarks on U.S. Participation in the Program.

THE PRESIDENT. This afternoon, as far as the United States of America is concerned, we're beginning to emphasize and hopefully even to dramatize our own commitment to making the International Year of the Child a success.

In December of 1976, the United Nations passed a resolution setting aside a special period for a worldwide assessment of the problems, the needs, the opportunities of children. There are 1½ billion children in the world. And although our own country has been blessed with, I'd say, at least adequate material needs to make our lives certainly more pleasant and more prosperous than most, even in the United States we have serious problems among our children.

We had, last year, a million children whose rights were abused, who suffered physical abuse from their parents. And I don't think there's an adequate understanding yet in our societal structure of this devastating demonstration of carelessness or cruelty, quite often perpetrated against a young person who has very little voice to express pain or suffering or displeasure.

In our rich country, we have 10 million children who have never had any medical care at all, and about half the children in this country have never seen a dentist.

I believe that most Americans are unaware of these few statistics. And I would hope that next year, as the world focuses its attention upon children, that all of us could become much more knowledgeable about the need, much more willing to assume responsibility for correcting and meeting those needs, and that we might in a positive way assess the unique opportunity to broaden the horizon of growth and enjoyment and the productivity of our children's lives, both now and in the future.

I've asked Jean Young, Mrs. Andrew Young, to be the chairman of the American committee for the International Year of the Child. She's in a special place, associated intimately with the families of representatives of almost every nation on Earth. She's a mother herself. Her husband and she have been involved in the correction of a very serious deprivation of rights because of racial discrimination. And I think she has both the knowledge, the influence, the prestige, the courage, and the commitment to lead our own effort here in the United States well and effectively.

I'll be working closely with this group and hope to add the prestige and the influence of the Presidency itself to making this a successful effort.

We will be eager to help others, children in nations not quite so blessed with the material benefits of life in this next year. This effort will encompass almost every aspect of humanitarian service. Working through UNICEF and other United Nations agencies, through the leaders of other nations, I think we can enhance the opportunity for better clothing, housing, food, medical care, education, and the protection against suffering on the part of children in all nations.

So, I'm very eager to be a part of it. It's a sobering prospect to know that perhaps once in a lifetime we have an opportunity to focus attention on such a neglected group in the world's population.

And I for one, along with Jean Young, the Commission members, and, I hope, you and all the people in our Nation, will help the United States to set an example of a country whose actions can be equal to the bigness of our hearts and whose minds will be attuned to the analysis of problems and the resolution or solution of them.

I want to thank all of you for coming here this afternoon to begin preparations to make 1979 a successful period in the study and enhancement of the lives of children everywhere.

Thank you very much.

Mrs. YOUNG. Mr. President, distinguished guests and visitors:

We are gathered here representing many facets of America. Our common bond is our love and concern for children. During International Year of the Child, we want to affirm children. The needs that you have so vividly portrayed are diverse and intense within the world arena. Within our own Nation, the needs are complex and difficult. But if we affirm children, we are on the road to effecting change.

Children are resilient, tenacious, and adaptable. Many survive in the most deplorable conditions. They are also vulnerable, defenseless, and powerless. With a little help from us, they can develop into the beautiful, loving, confident, contributing human beings they were meant to be.

Mr. President, the commitment and sensitivity that you have expressed can help this to happen, along, of course, with the cooperation of all the concerned organizations, the governmental agencies, and the dedicated private citizens throughout this Nation.

Certainly, if we mustered the mighty forces of this great Nation to protect the tiny snail darter, certainly our court systems can protect our most valuable natural resource, our children. As the entire world is focusing on children, we call on all the voices of concern in every community throughout this Nation to examine itself, determine the needs of its children, and seek remedies through all resources available—whether private, corporate, or governmental.

As we affirm children, enjoy them, listen to voices of concern, seek solutions, we must not forget the most important voice in all, the voice of our children themselves. Regina and Scott, please come forward and share with us a couple of the thousands of letters expressing the concerns of the children of this country.

Mr. President, would you come forward?

SCOTT HIGELL. "Dear Sir, I am just saying one thing. I wish that all the children in the whole world would have a good parent and a nice home and have peace. Sincerely yours, Chucky D. Perry."

REGINA HIGGINS. "Dear Sir, our class is talking a lot about the world and peace. We want to know how to get it. Your friend, Roxanna Floris."

MRS. YOUNG. Thank you very much.

THE PRESIDENT. I want all of you to go to work, too. We can't do it just for the Commission. So, we're all in the same boat. We're all partners in a very worthy concern—[inaudible]—for our country and for a better life throughout the world.

Senator Sparkman just came in. I wanted to recognize him. Senator, would you stand up? Virginia—thank you very much—and Congresswoman Virginia Smith. We are very eager and pleased to have the Members of Congress participate thoroughly, because there could not possibly be a more representative group. And their voice can be heard almost immediately over the country collectively, and they can also give us what these children have just given us, a very good feedback from the children around the Nation. We're not just teachers but we are also students.

Both these letters, I notice, express the children's hope for peace, which is obviously the prime hope of all of us.

Thank you very much.