President Obama has proclaimed the day after the election World Freedom Day to celebrate the pro-democracy movement that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
“For centuries, people of every nation have borne witness to great strife and tension in our ever-changing world, but we have proven we can always choose a better course through our relentless pursuit of freedom,” reads the Tuesday White House news release. “Across oceans and continents, in recognition of World Freedom Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to carrying forward the enduring celebration of liberty that defined the fall of the Berlin Wall.”
The celebration has been observed since then-President George W. Bush first declared it in 2001 to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall, which is associated with the erosion of Soviet political power.
The president, who has criticized Donald Trump’s pledges to get Mexico to build a wall across the border, described how the citizens of the German city that was divided for nearly 30 years set an example for the world by overcoming these physical barriers through their continuous and unified calls for freedom.
“Whether in quiet struggle or boisterous protest, the Berliners who endured the division the Berlin Wall created and stood to remind us of the necessity to never abandon the values that have brought us as far as we are today.”
Obama cautioned the day of the election that although more people are voting for their leaders than ever before, securing that freedom requires a commitment by each generation, arguing that “it is up to each of us to put our shoulders to the wheel of progress and fight for the future we seek.”
As millions head to the polls on Election Day, Obama requested they spend the following day celebrating the increasingly widespread ability for citizens to govern themselves.
“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.”
