Proclamation 3844—Pan American Day and Pan American Week, 1968

A year ago, the Presidents of the American Republics and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago met at Punta del Este to chart the course of the Alliance for Progress for the next "Decade of Urgency".

They proclaimed "their decision to achieve to the fullest measure the free, just, and democratic social order demanded by the peoples of the Hemisphere".

This demand calls for revolutionary change—within a democratic framework—of economic, social and political institutions to permit the full participation of the people in all aspects of national life.

In affirming their dedication to such change the Presidents at Punta del Este said:

"We will modernize the living conditions of our rural populations, raise agricultural productivity in general, and increase food production for the benefit of both Latin America and the rest of the world.

"We will vigorously promote education for development.

"We will harness science and technology for the service of our peoples.

"We will expand programs for improving the health of the American peoples.

"We will lay the physical foundations for Latin American economic integration through multinational projects.

"Latin America will create a common market.

"We will join in efforts to increase substantially Latin American foreign-trade earnings.

"Latin America will eliminate unnecessary military expenditures."

We have been true to these resolves:

—The Inter-American Cultural Council has approved a program and Special Fund to modernize teaching methods in Latin America, and to forge regional cooperation in science and technology for development.

—Food production in Latin America during 1967 showed an overall increase of 6 percent over 1966.

—The International Coffee Agreement, further strengthened by the creation of a Coffee Diversification Fund, holds the promise of protection against disastrous price fluctuations.

—Additional resources for the Inter-American Development Bank and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration has enabled these institutions to finance more roads, power projects and telecommunications to draw the people of Latin America closer together.

—With the organization of the Andean Development Corporation, the Governments of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela have taken an important step toward a common market for all of Latin America.

—The Central American Common Market and the Latin American Free Trade Area have established a consultative mechanism looking toward gradual combination of the two trading areas into the Latin American Common Market.

—The Inter-American Export Promotion Center, by stimulating the sale of Latin American manufactured products, will increase foreign-trade earnings and thus provide more jobs and higher income for more people.

These and other dynamic advances tell the story of common action to make the promise of a better life a reality for more people—in more jobs, increased educational opportunities, higher income, expanding food supplies, fuller participation in the political process, and greater human dignity.

The promise of the Americas is to establish in this Hemisphere societies free from the fear of want, ignorance, prejudice and disease. We know from what 450 million Americans have accomplished to date that this vision is within the reach of our generation. To make it a reality, we must rededicate our energies, our skills and our commitments to the process of peaceful—but revolutionary—change.

So I ask the people of the United States to ally themselves firmly with their Government in these crucial years, and to become active partners and participants in the continuing fulfillment of the historic pledge of Punta del Este to the Hemisphere that is our home.

Now, Therefore, I, Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Sunday, April 14, 1968, as Pan American Day, and the week beginning April 14 and ending April 20 as Pan American Week; and I call upon the Governors of the fifty States of the Union, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the officials of all other areas under the flag of the United States to issue similar proclamations.

Further, I call upon this Nation to rededicate itself to the fundamental goal of the inter-American system, embodied in the Charter of the Organization of American States, the Charter of Punta del Este, and the Declaration of American Presidents: social justice and economic progress within the framework of individual freedom and political liberty.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of April in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and ninety-second.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON