    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [November 13, 2008]
    [Pages 1363-1364]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the United Nations High-Level Debate on Interfaith Dialogue
    in New York City
    November 13, 2008

        Mr. Secretary-General, distinguished guests,
    ladies and gentlemen: Laura and I are pleased to be back here at the
    United Nations, and I am grateful for the opportunity to once again
    address the General Assembly.
        I want to thank King Abdallah of Saudi Arabia for his leadership and for convincing us
    all to come together to speak about faith. I appreciate the participants
    who recognize the transformative and uplifting power of faith.
        One of my core beliefs is there--that there is an Almighty God and
    that every man, woman, and child on the face of this Earth bears His
    image. Many years ago, faith changed my life. Faith has sustained me
    through the challenges and the joys of my Presidency, and faith will
    guide me for the rest of my days.
        I know many of the leaders gathered in this assembly have been
    influenced by faith as well. We may profess different creeds and worship
    in different places, but our faith leads us to common values. We believe
    God calls us to love our neighbors and to treat one another with
    compassion and respect. We believe God calls us to honor the dignity of
    all life and to speak against cruelty and injustice. We believe God
    calls us to live in peace and to oppose all those who use His name to
    justify violence and murder.
        Freedom is God's gift to every man, woman, and child. And that
    freedom includes the right of all people to worship as they see fit.
    Sixty years ago, members of the United Nations General Assembly
    acknowledged this truth when we adopted the Universal Declaration of
    Human Rights. The declaration proclaims that everyone has the right to
    choose or change religions and the right to worship in private or in
    public.
        The United States strongly supported the adoption of the Universal
    Declaration. In fact, the American delegation was led by a former First
    Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. When we voted for the Universal Declaration,
    the American people reaffirmed a conviction that dates back to our
    earliest days. Our Nation was founded by people seeking haven from
    religious persecution. The first amendment of our Constitution
    guarantees the free exercise of religion for all. And through the
    generations, our Nation has helped defend the religious liberty of
    others, from liberating the concentration camps of Europe to protecting
    Muslims in places like Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
        Today, the United States is carrying on that noble tradition by
    making religious liberty a central element of our foreign policy. We've
    established a Commission on the International Religious Freedom to
    monitor the state of religious liberty worldwide. We strongly encourage
    nations to understand that religious freedom is the foundation of a
    healthy and hopeful society. We're not afraid to stand with religious
    dissidents and

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    believers who practice their faith, even where it is unwelcome.
        One of the best ways to safeguard religious freedom is to aid the
    rise of democracy. Democratic governments don't all look alike. Each
    reflects the history and traditions of its own people. But one way--but
    one of the defining features of any democracy is that it makes room for
    people of all backgrounds and all faiths. Democracies allow people with
    diverse views to discuss their differences and live in harmony.
        The expansion of democracy also represents the most promising path
    to peace. People who are free to express their opinions can challenge
    the ideologies of hate. They can defend their religious beliefs and
    speak out against those seeking to twist them to evil ends. They can
    prevent their children from falling under the sway of extremists by
    giving them a more hopeful alternative.
        Over the past 8 years, I've been privileged to see how freedom and
    faith can lift up lives and lead the world toward peace. I remember
    clearly a congregation in the State of Kansas, in my country, whose
    members stayed together and prayed together, even when a tornado had
    torn down their church. I've seen faithful caregivers on the continent
    of Africa who take AIDS patients given up for dead and restore them to
    health. I have seen mothers across the Middle East whose faith leads
    them to dream of a better and more peaceful future for their children, a
    dream shared by mothers all around the world.
        I appreciate every nation participating in today's dialogue. Through
    dialogue we can draw closer to the day when our prayers for freedom and
    peace are answered and every person on Earth enjoys the rights and
    dignity granted by an Almighty God.
        God bless.

    Note: The President spoke at 11 a.m. in the General Assembly Hall at the
    United Nations Headquarters. In his remarks, he referred to Secretary-
    General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations. The Office of the Press
    Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.