Proclamation 6227—Geography Awareness Week, 1990

From the vast, frozen tundra of the Arctic to the exotic reaches of South American rain forests, the world in which we live is a beautiful and fascinating place. As varied as the climates, terrain, and natural resources found on our planet, however, terrain, and natural resources found on our planet, however, are the peoples who inhabit it.

Americans who lack fundamental knowledge of the world's peoples and their surroundings cannot fully appreciate or enjoy Earth's diversity and splendor. On a larger scale, the lack of even elementary geographic knowledge among many Americans places our entire Nation at a disadvantage in matters of foreign policy and international commerce.

Geography has been a pivotal factor in the social, economic, and political development of virtually every country in the world. Thus the study of geography is not only exciting but also essential to understanding history and to participating successfully in today's global community. We Americans cannot formulate or maintain effective foreign policies, trade strategies, and business practices if the physical characteristics and cultural and political boundaries of the world are unfamiliar to us. We cannot respond effectively to dramatic changes around the globe if we do not fully comprehend the location and significance of such events. Moreover, our ability to promote international understanding and cooperation depends, in large part, on our ability to understand the languages, customs, and beliefs of other peoples, as well as the physical circumstances in which they live.

Despite the importance of public awareness of world geography, statistics indicate that many Americans lack basic knowledge in this field. For example, a survey sponsored by the Federal Government found that many of the Nation's 12th graders do not know that the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. The Department of Education reports that one-third of all adults in the United States cannot name any of the countries that belong to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and a National Governors' Association report approximately two years ago indicated that one in seven adults could not locate the United States on a globe. Although such findings underscore the dire need to improve general knowledge of the subject, geography as a distinct discipline has been disappearing from academic curricula around the country.

Fortunately, however, the Administration and the Nation's Governors are working to revitalize America's educational system through efforts that include renewed emphasis on the basics. By raising our expectations and reaffirming the value of learning -- including the study and mastery of elementary geography -- we can better equip young Americans for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

To focus attention on the importance of the study and mastery of geography, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 323, has designated the week of November 11 through November 17, 1990, as "Geography Awareness Week" and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week.

Now, Therefore, I, George Bush, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of November 11 through November 17, 1990, as Geography Awareness Week. I urge all Americans to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth.

GEORGE BUSH