WORLD FREEDOM DAY, 2020
10117
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
On World Freedom Day, we commemorate the historic fall of
the Berlin Wall in 1989, which liberated the people of East
Germany from the grip of tyranny. This watershed event marked
the triumph of freedom and liberty for hundreds of millions of
people who rejected the oppression of Soviet communism and its
Marxist-Leninist ideology. Today, we celebrate the blessings of
freedom in Germany and across the world, and reaffirm our
Nation's support for all who wish to be free.
Following World War II, the Soviet Union built an Iron
Curtain between the East and West, isolating the city of
West Berlin and shutting off the free flow of goods and people.
Determined to prevent the light of liberty from being
extinguished, our Nation stood with the United Kingdom and
France against the Soviet demand that the West withdraw from
Berlin. To defeat this demand for surrender, the United States
Air Force and our allies fearlessly airlifted food, fuel, and
supplies to the starving people of West Berlin, and together, we
were resolved to restore freedom to the German people.
For almost 30 years, the Berlin Wall symbolized the divide
between the free world and communism. On its eastern side, the
rights that democratic societies hold dear – the fundamental
freedoms of religion, speech, the press, association, and
petition – were replaced by forced secularism, oppressive
censorship, monolithic propaganda, and inhumane division.
Hundreds of brave Germans died attempting to escape this brutal
fate, as the Stasi used landmines, armed watchtowers, and barbed
This document is scheduled to be published in the
Federal Register on 11/12/2020 and available online at
federalregister.gov/d/2020-25193, and on govinfo.gov
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wire to intimidate those who dreamed of freedom and to kill and
harm those who braved any attempt to escape. Those whose
escapes failed, those who facilitated successful or attempted
crossings, and those who crossed the Stasi in some other way
were tortured, imprisoned, and executed in horrifying violations
of human dignity and rights.
The United States always stood resolutely with the victims
and survivors of the evil ideology that controlled East Germany
and East Berlin. Our valiant response to Soviet oppression in
Germany defined the Cold War, from President John F. Kennedy's
declaration, "Ich bin ein Berliner," in 1963 to President Ronald
Reagan's momentous call, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
in 1987. Our founding principles of individual, God-given
unalienable rights, human dignity, and equality of opportunity
were embraced by the millions held in Soviet bondage, and
ultimately won the ideological battle of the Cold War. As a
result, we are able to celebrate Germany's reunification today,
reaffirm our alliance, and recognize German contributions to
modern day peace and prosperity.
This World Freedom Day, we honor all those who fought for
freedom, endured injustice, and bravely resisted totalitarianism
before the fall of the Berlin Wall. We also reassert our
longstanding commitment to combat tyranny, uplift the voices of
those held captive by communist regimes, and halt the spread of
this brutal ideology at home and around the world.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, 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, 2020, as World Freedom
Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe
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this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, reaffirming
our dedication to freedom and democracy.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth
day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty,
and of the Independence of the United States of America the
two hundred and forty-fifth.
[FR Doc. 2020-25193 Filed: 11/10/2020 11:15 am; Publication Date: 11/12/2020]