    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 124, 111th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    PROCLAMATION 8616--DEC. 10, 2010

    Proclamation 8616 of December 10, 2010
    Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human Rights Week, 2010
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation

    In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal
    Declaration of Human Rights. More than 60 years later, the Declaration
    reflects the world's commitment to the idea that ``all human beings are
    born free and equal in dignity and rights.'' As Americans, this self-
    evident truth lies at the heart of our Declaration of Independence, our
    Constitution, and our Bill of Rights. It is a belief that, while every
    nation pursues a path rooted in the culture of its own citizens, certain
    rights belong to all people: freedom to live as they choose, to speak
    openly, to organize peacefully, to worship freely, and to participate
    fully in the public life of their society with confidence in the rule of
    law.
    Freedom, justice, and peace for the world must begin with basic security
    and liberty in the lives of individual human beings. Today, we continue
    the fight to make universal human rights a reality for every person,
    regardless of race, gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation,
    or circumstance. From the freedom to associate or criticize to the

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    protection from violence or unlawful detention, these inherent civil
    rights are a matter of both pragmatic and moral necessity.
    The challenges of a new century call for a world that is more purposeful
    and more united. The United States will always speak for those who are
    voiceless, defend those who are oppressed, and bear witness to those who
    want nothing more than to exercise their universal human rights. Our
    Bill of Rights protects these fundamental values at home, and guides our
    actions as we stand with those who seek to exercise their universal
    rights, wherever they live. Countries whose people choose their leaders
    and rely on the rule of law are more likely to be peaceful neighbors and
    prosperous partners in the world community.
    Part of the price of our own blessings of freedom is standing up for the
    liberty of others. As we observe Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day,
    and Human Rights Week, let us recommit to advancing human rights as our
    common cause and moral imperative. Let us continue to stand with
    citizens, activists, and governments around the world who embrace
    democratic reforms and empower free expression. Together, we can advance
    the arc of human progress toward a more perfect Union and a more perfect
    world--one in which each human being lives with dignity, security, and
    equality.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 10, 2010, as
    Human Rights Day; December 15, 2010, as Bill of Rights Day; and the week
    beginning December 10, 2010, as Human Rights Week. I call upon the
    people of the United States to mark these observances with appropriate
    ceremonies and activities.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of
    December, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
    fifth.
    BARACK OBAMA