If the story of the 20th century is the triumph of freedom, then let the 21st century be the triumph of freedom wisely used." — U.S. President Clinton.
"I wish you a year filled with peace: the peace proclaimed by the angels on that Holy Night; the peace of Christ, who out of love became a brother to every human being!" — Pope John Paul II.
"No news is good news. It's a cliche, I know, but in this case it really works." — Boeing Co. spokesman Bob Jorgensen after midnight at Greenwich Mean Time, used by the world's aviation system to keep a single, consistent clock.
"I got a sense of peace from many different nationalities and races of people coming together, and we all believe the same kind of thing." — Betty Amos, 67, after services at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.
"I'm glad it's over." — Historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., on the 20th century, as he entered the White House to attend a fancy dinner.
"I don't see how the world can come to an end. And if it does, I'm with 100 of my closest friends and relatives at Disney. How bad can that be?" — Katherine Murphy, who walked down the aisle at Disney World to exchange wedding vows with Bill Winans on New Year's Eve.
"I want to go to sleep, but the spirit is keeping me up." — Greg Packer, 36, a highway maintenance worker from Huntington N.Y., as he stood in New York's Time Square.
"People who are alive today are so lucky that they will be able to cross this threshold." — Archbishop Anthony Apuron of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagatna, Guam.
"More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations." — U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
"We are the ones now writing pages into history and we are molding our land the way we want to see it." — Latvian President Viara Vike-Freiberga.
"The parties are expensive, but we figured if you're ever going to spend money, tonight's the night to spend it." — Tom Hessler, an insurance representative from Phoenix outside the Monte Carlo resort in Las Vegas.
"This is so exciting. I think everyone was getting too paranoid." — Miss Guam 1999, Lourdes Rivera, 18, while dancing with friends.
"We respect all in the world who celebrate and are so excited tonight and we congratulate them, but we are proud that we have our own calendar." — Mehrnoosh Javadi, a 35-year-old teacher in Tehran, Iran's capital.
"I hope the year 2000 brings us more hope so we can all feel motivated to work harder." — Hirotoshi Koyama, 39, one of the revelers at Japan's Tokyo Bay.
"If you're 100 years old, you're tired. I'll wait till the New Year comes in. I might read or look over my birthday cards." — Mattie Gustin, 100, of Chesterfield, Ind.
"It was a wonderful non-event. We sat up here bored, waiting for something to happen. We're thankful it didn't, but it's better to be prepared." — Bob Levy, Atlantic City's Director of Emergency Management, who viewed Y2K in hindsight as a big bore.
"Do I need a flashlight, or don't I? Nah, I'm not going to worry about it." — Pat DiMassa of West Windsor, N.J., pausing in front of a display at a Home Depot store.
"DO NOT DISTURB! (I've got the biggest hangover for 2000 years)." — A sign contained in editions of London's tabloid Sun which readers can cut out and hang on their doors.