World Freedom Day, 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 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.