World Freedom Day, 2008

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 8318 of November 7, 2008

World Freedom Day, 2008

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On World Freedom Day, we celebrate the anniversary of
the historic fall of the Berlin Wall and honor the
brave citizens of East and West Germany who helped
secure freedom and liberty for future generations.

The Berlin Wall stood as a barrier that isolated the
victims of imperial Communism and totalitarian power
from the promise of the free world. Standing in the
presence of the wall, with an unshakable belief in the
power of liberty, President Ronald Reagan issued a
resounding challenge on behalf of the free and the
unfree alike: ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.''
On November 9, 1989, the citizens of East Germany
finally triumphed over their Communist oppressors, and
the Berlin Wall came tumbling down. As the hope of
freedom spread, the Soviet empire collapsed, the Iron
Curtain was lifted, and Eastern and Central Europe were
liberated from decades of cruel tyranny.

The Cold War demonstrated once again that freedom is
precious and cannot be taken for granted, that evil is
real and must be confronted, and that if they are
allowed to do so, harsh rulers will subjugate others in
the name of hateful ideologies. History has also proven
that the transformative power of liberty overcomes this
oppression. Today, many former Communist countries are
using their sovereignty to aid the rise of other young
democracies and to shine the light of conscience on
human rights abuses. Our belief in the universality of
freedom is challenged time and again, but we continue
to go forward with confidence that free nations will
always prevail over the enemies of liberty, peace, and
justice.

On World Freedom Day, we are reminded that injustice
overseas can threaten our way of life at home, and we
renew our commitment to helping those who suffer under
the weight of oppression.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim November 9, 2008, 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 eight, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.