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 Proc. 7359 Title 3--The President In celebration of this friendship and our shared pride in Leif Erikson's ex- ploits, Americans have joined with the Nordic countries to commemorate this special anniversary. The Smithsonian Institution sponsored a traveling exhibit earlier this year to highlight the Viking explorations of North Amer- ica; the Library of Congress hosted an international symposium on the an- cient texts of the Icelandic Sagas, many of which were displayed in the United States for the first time; and we joined Iceland in creating our first jointly issued coin to commemorate Leif Erikson's historic voyage. These cultural initiatives reflect the strong ties and long history between the United States and the Nordic countries, and we continue to cooperate on many mutual goals. The Nordic countries are our full partners in the Northern Europe Initiative (NEI), which we launched in 1997 to build on the dramatic progress toward a free Europe that occurred following the break-up of the Soviet Union. Through the NEI, we are working together to promote democracy, stability, and prosperity in the Baltic nations and northwest Russia, to facilitate their fuller integration into Western institu- tions, and to cooperate on such cross-border issues as energy, health, law enforcement, and the environment. In addition, many of the best and brightest entrepreneurs in America and the Nordic countries are collabo- rating to encourage trade and the spread of innovative ideas and tech- nologies around the world. Americans and Nordics alike value courage, independence, energy, and resourcefulness; working together in this new millennium, we are charting a new course for our people just as exciting and full of promise as the one Leif Erikson traveled a thousand years ago. In honor of Leif Erikson and of our Nordic American heritage, the Con- gress, by joint resolution (Public Law 88-566) approved on September 2, 1964, has authorized and requested the President to proclaim October 9 of each year as "Leif Erikson Day." NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 9, 2000, as Leif Erikson Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs to honor our rich Nordic American heritage. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of Oc- tober, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7359 of October 10, 2000 Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons Impeding the Peace Process in Sierra Leone By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation In light of the longstanding political and humanitarian crisis in Sierra Leone, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to restrict the entry into the United States as immigrants and nonimmigrants 178

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