STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
JOINT RESOLUTION TO HONOR THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF
SAMANTHA SMITH
WHEREAS, Samantha Smith, a Maine native, looked upon the Cold War between the
United States and the Soviet Union with the innocence of a ten-year-old child; and
WHEREAS, through a letter to Soviet Premier Yuri Andropov, Samantha Smith expressed
her fears of the possible threat of nuclear holocaust; and
WHEREAS, after receiving the letter, Premier Andropov invited Samantha Smith to visit
the Soviet Union, where she learned that its citizens, especially its children, were very similar
to those in Maine; and
WHEREAS, as one of our country's youngest ambassadors for peace, Samantha Smith
helped ease the tensions between the 2 countries, opening the door to greater understanding
and friendship among nations of the world; and
WHEREAS, while at the age of thirteen Samantha Smith died tragically in a plane crash
before the Cold War truly ended, her legacy of peace and goodwill still lives on; and
WHEREAS, the first Monday in June of each year is designated as Samantha Smith Day,
in memory of Samantha Smith whose birthday was June 29th; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, the members of the One hundred and Thirty-second Legislature
now assembled in the First Special Session, pause in our deliberations to honor the life and
legacy of Samantha Smith and to celebrate the power of the individual voice to change the
world for the better.
Page 1 - 132LR2551(01)