[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9300 of July 17, 2015

Captive Nations Week, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

America was founded on the beliefs that the true source of legitimacy is
the consent of the people; that every individual is born equal with
inalienable rights; and that it is the responsibility of governments to
uphold these rights. For more than two centuries, the United States has

[[Page 3400]]

worked to give meaning to these fundamental tenets of freedom and
democracy, and as we have striven to realize the promise of our Nation
and cement our reputation as a beacon of opportunity throughout the
world, we have also fought to expand democracy's reach--because we
believe that self-determination is not just a Western value but a
universal value, and that all people in all nations have the right to
choose their own destiny.
When an Iron Curtain descended on women and men around the globe,
America stood with those who held fast to democratic ideals. We fought
to defend the inherent dignity of all people and our shared commitment
to the values we cherish, and together we demonstrated to the world that
tyranny and oppression are no match for the force of freedom. Decades
later, upholding peace and security continues to be the responsibility
of every nation. During Captive Nations Week, we stand in solidarity
with those who still yearn for a stake in their future, and we renew our
commitment to advancing freedom's cause.
Today, countries once ravaged by war are among the world's most advanced
economies, dictatorships have given way to genuine democracies, and
hundreds of millions of people have been lifted from poverty. Yet
history reminds us that free nations cannot be complacent in pursuit of
the vision we share. Around the globe, disputes over territory threaten
to spiral into confrontation. The failure to uphold universal human
rights denies justice to individuals and denies countries of reaching
their full potential. The same technologies that empower citizens are
also giving oppressive regimes new tools to stifle dissent. And economic
inequality and extreme poverty are laying the foundation for
instability.
The United States will continue to use every element of American power
to bolster democracies throughout the world and support economic reforms
that boost domestic demand, deliver broad prosperity, and invest in
people. We are expanding our cooperation with emerging powers and
economies and working to cultivate civil societies that hold leaders
accountable--because governments exist to lift their people up, not to
hold them down. And I continue to call for open and honest elections,
and independent judiciaries that work to strengthen the rule of law.
True democracy, real prosperity, and lasting security are neither given
nor imposed from the outside; they must be earned and built from within
and renewed by every generation. Today, we rededicate ourselves to this
important task and to the promise that wherever people are willing to do
the hard work of building a democracy--wherever the longing for freedom
stirs in human hearts--they will find a partner in the United States of
America.
The Congress, by joint resolution approved July 17, 1959 (73 Stat. 212),
has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation
designating the third week of July of each year as ``Captive Nations
Week.''
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim July 19 through July 25, 2015, as Captive
Nations Week. I call upon the people of the United States to reaffirm
our deep ties to all governments and people committed to freedom,
dignity, and opportunity for all.

[[Page 3401]]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of
July, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA