Charles A. Savarin, President of the Commonwealth of Dominica Page 1

A Message from His Excellency Charles A, Savarin, DAH President of the Commonwealth of Dominica On the occasion of the Remembrance of Abraham Lincoln's Life and Legacy on the 150 Anniversary of his Death ****** It is indeed a great honour and privilege to be afforded the opportunity to contribute to the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United State of America, on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of his death. According to the Miller Center, a nonpartisan affiliate of the University of Virginia, "the most lasting accomplishments attributed to Lincoln are the preservation of the Union, the vindication of democracy, and the death of slavery, all accomplished by the ways in which he handled the crisis that most certainly would have ended differently with a lesser man in office. His great achievement, historians tell us, was his ability to energize and mobilize the nation by appealing to its best ideals while acting with malice towards none in the pursuit of a more perfect, more just, and more enduring Union. No President in American history ever faced a greater crisis and no President ever accomplished as much." His untimely death in April 1865 made him a martyr to the cause of liberty and union. We, as Caribbean peoples and nations, who as colonies of the United Kingdom had been subjected to slavery for hundreds of years until its abolition in 1834, are indeed proud of President Lincoln's accomplishments more particularly, for the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 during a most difficult Civil War to preserve the Union, and strongly believe that there is much for world leaders to learn and emulate from his life and legacy. Most prominent was his love for country and people, and his tenacity and desire to persevere in times of adversity for the common good of all. President Lincoln also had a major effect not only on the United States but on the Region and the world through his role as President and the good example he set when it came to leadership and integrity. Today 150 years after his death, President Lincoln words are quoted by politicians who consider him as America's wisest and greatest President. (----) My wife and I, on behalf of the Government and people of the Commonwealth of Dominica, wish to take this opportunity to convey sincerest appreciation to the Government and people of the United States of America for the gift to humanity which the life and works of the 16th President represent. We further wish to take this opportunity to commend the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum for its excellent work in documenting the Life of President Lincoln, and expanding knowledge and appreciation of his legacy. (written signature) CHARLES A. SAVARIN PRESIDENT