[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 123, 111th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8452--NOV. 9, 2009

Proclamation 8452 of November 9, 2009
World Freedom Day, 2009
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

Twenty years ago today, the Wall came down in Berlin and both a country
and a continent came together. After thousands of East Berliners flooded
through checkpoints into West Berlin, border restrictions dissolved
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. From Kiev to Cape Town, prison camps closed and democracy's doors
were unlocked for millions who had known only tyranny. Markets opened
too, spreading information and technology that empowered 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. History
reminds us that such walls can be torn down, but where they still exist
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 21st century
will require America's enduring commitment and steady leadership.
From our first days as a Nation, 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 Day,
we celebrate the thriving democracies of Central and Eastern Europe, and
we honor their citizens' right to choose their own destinies and
contribute to their nations' future success.
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, 2009, 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, reaffirming 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 Lord two thousand nine, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
fourth.
BARACK OBAMA