Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 123.djvu/3755

 123STA T . 3 7 3 5PROCL A M AT I O N84 52 — NO V. 9, 2 0 09 Indep enden c e ofth e U n i ted S t a te s of Am e r ica the t w oh u ndred and thirt y- fourth .B A R A CKO BA M A Proclam a ti o n8452 o fN o ve m b er 9, 2 0 09 WorldF r e edo mDay,20 0 9BythePr e sid e n t of the U nited S t a tes of Am eri c a A Proc l amation T wenty years a g o today , the W a l l came down in Berlin and b oth a country and a continent came together. After thousands of E ast Ber- liners flooded through chec k points into West Berlin, border restrictions dissol v ed across Eastern Bloc countries. The Iron Curtain that divided Europe for decades finally fell, ushering in a new era of freedom and cooperation. On this anniversary, we are reminded that no challenge is too great for a world united in common purpose. After the Berlin Wall fell, oppressive regimes across the globe gave way. F rom Kiev to Cape Town, prison camps closed and democracy ’ s doors were unlocked for millions who had known only tyranny. Mar- kets opened too, spreading information and technology that empow- ered once-insolvent nations to achieve prosperity. Twenty years later, our world is more interconnected than at any time in human history, giving rise to new opportunities for shared progress. Today, the barriers that challenge our world are not walls of cement and iron, but ones of fear, irresponsibility, and indifference. H istory re- minds us that such walls can be torn down, but where they still e x ist we must work with all nations to strengthen civil societies, support democratic institutions and the rule of law, and promote free and fair electoral processes. Upholding these principles into the 21 st century will re q uire America’s enduring commitment and steady leadership. From our first days as a N ation, Americans have felt a sense of urgency and determination to promote liberty and release the potential within each individual to contribute to the common good. On World Freedom D ay, we celebrate the thriving democracies of Central and Eastern Eu- rope, and we honor their citi z ens’ right to choose their own destinies and contribute to their nations’ future success. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, P resident of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con- stitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Novem- ber 9 ,2 0 09, as World Freedom Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day in fellowship with other nations and people of the world with appropriate ceremonies and activities, re- affirming our dedication to freedom and democracy. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of November, in the year of our L ord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth. BARACK OBAMA