| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing March 27, 2007, as "Colombia Day" |
| 3 | in Florida. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, with a population 45 million, Colombia boasts a |
| 6 | large number of Colombians who live, work, and own businesses in |
| 7 | Florida, and |
| 8 | WHEREAS, Colombia is the oldest democracy in Latin America |
| 9 | and the second oldest democracy in the Western Hemisphere, |
| 10 | second only to the United States, and |
| 11 | WHEREAS, as a longtime ally of the United States, |
| 12 | Colombia's efforts to fight global terrorism and the illegal |
| 13 | drug trade have been recognized by former President Bill |
| 14 | Clinton, President George W. Bush, and the United Nations as |
| 15 | significant steps toward stabilizing a region of critical |
| 16 | importance to the United States, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, Colombia is the fourth largest market for |
| 18 | Florida's goods and services, maintaining a $3.9 billion dollar |
| 19 | trading relationship with the state, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, Colombia has vast mineral and energy resources |
| 21 | that are currently being explored and developed for the economic |
| 22 | benefit of the entire Western Hemisphere, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, world-renowned contributions in art, literature, |
| 24 | internal affairs, medicine, and music have been made by |
| 25 | Colombians, including such luminaries as Dr. Manuel Pattaroyo, |
| 26 | developer of the world's first synthetic malaria vaccine, Nobel |
| 27 | Laureate in Literature Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Former President |
| 28 | of the Organization of American States César Gaviria, painter |
| 29 | and sculptor Fernando Botero, and ten-time Grammy Award winner |
| 30 | Shakira, and |
| 31 | WHEREAS, Florida has benefited from its economic and |
| 32 | cultural exchange with Colombia and is honored to continue its |
| 33 | long-standing relationship with this vital strategic partner, |
| 34 | NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 35 |
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| 36 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 37 | Florida: |
| 38 |
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| 39 | That March 27, 2007, is recognized as "Colombia Day" in |
| 40 | Florida in recognition of the many economic, cultural, and civic |
| 41 | contributions of the thousands of Colombian-Americans that have |
| 42 | made Florida their home. |
| 43 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 44 | presented to the Government of Colombia and its representatives |
| 45 | in the Colombian Consulate located in Florida as a tangible |
| 46 | token of the sentiments expressed herein. |