Governor’s Proclamation

WHEREAS, archives preserve the laws of an open democracy and safeguard the rights and freedoms of all citizens; and

WHEREAS, Virginia's archival treasures, which date from the settlement at Jamestown to the present, record the history and accomplishments of the Commonwealth and its citizens; and

WHEREAS, the history and accomplishments of the Commonwealth of Virginia and its citizens are represented in the documents and records created by and for all Virginians; and

WHEREAS, the archived records of the Commonwealth allow everyone to celebrate and study the rich and diverse history of the Old Dominion, her communities and her people, to bridge the past and present, and to learn from the efforts and actions of our predecessors; and

WHEREAS, archivists and archival institutions are at the forefront of saving the historical record in traditional formats such as paper, maps, photographs, and architectural records as well as contemporary formats such as moving images, sound recordings, and digital records, and they work diligently to preserve and make the Commonwealth's documentary history accessible to future generations of Virginians; and

WHEREAS, I encourage all Virginians to become more familiar with the archival institutions in their communities and throughout our Commonwealth, and I applaud the efforts of those who maintain these valuable cultural resources;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Timothy M. Kaine, do hereby recognize October 8-14, 2006, as ARCHIVES WEEK in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.