[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 128, 113th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 9209--NOV. 7, 2014

Proclamation 9209 of November 7, 2014

World Freedom Day, 2014

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

For nearly three decades, the Berlin Wall divided a nation and stood as
one symbol of a system that denied individuals the freedoms that are the
right of every person. It separated families and suppressed free will
and self-determination--but while it tried to contain the yearnings

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of a courageous and unwavering people for liberty and justice, it could
not crush them. Twenty-five years ago today, Germans from East and West
came together to tear down the Wall and begin the work of building an
open and prosperous society. On World Freedom Day, we honor a generation
that refused to be defined by a wall, and we reaffirm our commitment to
stand with all those who seek to join the free world.
The images of this extraordinary event are seared in our memory and
enshrined in our history: brave crowds climbing atop an old barrier and
Berliners reuniting in city streets. But the victory of 1989 was not
inevitable. We will not forget those who risked bullets, dug through
tunnels, leapt from buildings, and crossed barbed wire, minefields, and
a mighty river in pursuit of freedom. In their struggle--and in the
memory of all those who did not live to see Berlin united and free--
Americans see our own past, as well as the spirit of citizens around the
world who long for opportunity and are willing to do the hard work of
building a democracy.
America stood with those on both sides of the Iron Curtain who held fast
to the belief that a better future was possible, and as the Berlin Wall
fell, it spurred a more integrated, more prosperous, and more secure
Europe. Today, Germany is one of our strongest allies. And as we pay
tribute to our shared past, we are reminded that upholding peace and
security is the responsibility of every nation. There is no progress
without sacrifice and no freedom without solidarity, and we cannot
shrink from our role of advancing the values in which we believe.
The story of Berlin shows us that with grit and determination, we have
the power to shape our own destiny, even in the face of impossible odds.
As we celebrate a triumph over tyranny, we also recognize that the
challenges to peace and human dignity continue in our complex world and
that complacency is not the character of great nations. Let us resolve
to extend a hand to those who reach for freedom still and continue the
pursuit of peace in our time.
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 November 9, 2014, as
World Freedom Day. I call upon the people of the United States to
observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, reaffirming
our dedication to freedom and democracy.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of
November, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
ninth.
BARACK OBAMA