The presidential decree urged American citizens to support upcoming international athletic contests, specifically highlighting the XVIth Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, the Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and the Pan American Games in Mexico City.
Congressional Resolution Sets the Stage for Melbourne and Cortina
The proclamation followed a joint resolution approved by Congress on April 22, 1954 (68 Stat. 58). Lawmakers emphasized that these major international competitions provided a vital framework to unite young men and women from more than seventy nations. Participants spanning diverse races, creeds, social stations, and cultural habits gathered through the universal appeal of friendly athletic competition.
The joint resolution specifically noted that the United States Olympic Association was actively working to secure maximum financial and logistical backing for the American delegation. To bolster these efforts, Congress requested that the executive branch establish a dedicated day of national awareness and support.
A Packed International Athletic Calendar
The timeline laid out in the proclamation mapped out a heavy slate of international sporting events for the mid-1950s. The Pan American Games were scheduled first, set for March 1955 in Mexico City. Following that, attention would turn to Europe for the Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, running from January 26 to February 5, 1956.
The primary focal point of the proclamation remained the XVIth Summer Olympic Games, scheduled to take place in Melbourne, Australia, from November 22 to December 8, 1956. President Eisenhower signed the official document at the White House in Washington, calling upon the public to ensure the United States was fully and adequately represented across all three global events.
