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Backup Documents 12/12/2017 Item #4A 4A PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, since 1993, the President of the United States has proclaimed January 16 of each year to be Religious Freedom Day, and called on all Americans to commemorate this day with events and activities that teach us about this critical foundation of our Nation's liberty; and, WHEREAS, the celebration of Religious Freedom Day commemorates the signing of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, penned by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Virginia House of Burgesses on January 16, 1786; and, i WHEREAS, the Virginia Statute, declared religious irberty a natural right and any attempt to subvert it "a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion, who being Lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either." The Statute inspired religious liberty protections in the First Amendment, which have stood for nearly two and a quarter centuries; and, WHEREAS, the Liberty Bell on display at Freedom Hall in Philadelphia has the following inscription on it, "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto all the people thereof," Leviticus 25:10; and, WHEREAS, the citizens of Collier County desire that their elected representatives confirm the principle of Religious Freedom. NOW THEREFORE, be it proclaimed by the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida, that January 16, 2018, be designated as NATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY IN COLLIER COUNTY DONE AND ORDERED THIS 12th Day of December, 2017. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (4\ 111 `114?"\?\1)1\\ r COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA ,„"w PENNY TAY OR, CH IRMAN iN