Proclamation 4732—Pan American Day and Pan American Week, 1980

During the past years, the peoples of the Americas have asserted with renewed determination their ideals of peace with freedom, cooperation with mutual respect, and unity with individual dignity. The people of the United States of America reaffirm their belief in this spirit each year on Pan American Day.

As the nations of the Americas enter the decade of the 1980's, their peoples confidently seek a future of economic growth and social change that will surpass past achievements. This goal will be realized if the fruits of that growth are shared fairly and if tranquility among nations of the area is preserved.

We look to the Organization of American States, whose anniversary we will observe .on April 14, to continue to produce an environment of understanding, mutual respect, and dedication to the common goals that have inspired the true leaders of the hemisphere throughout its history. The stewardship of the Organization of American States in the past year has helped democracy reassert itself when threatened and has revitalized concern for human rights and needs.

Thus, on this Pan American Day of 1980, the United States of America salutes the countries of the hemisphere, and reaffirms its solidarity to the ideals and principles that underlie their cooperative efforts.

Now, Therefore, I, Jimmy Carter, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, April 14, 1980, as Pan American Day and the week beginning April 13, 1980, as Pan American Week; and I call upon the Governors of the fifty States, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and appropriate officials of the other areas under the flag of the United States to issue similar proclamations.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fourth.

JIMMY CARTER