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BarackObama
AddresstothePeopleofBerlin

Delivered24July2008,VictoryColumn

AUTHENTICITYCERTIFIED:Textversionbelowtranscribeddirectlyfromaudio

ThankyoutothecitizensofBerlinandthankyoutothepeopleofGermany.Letmethank ChancellorMerkelandForeignMinisterSteinmeierforwelcomingmeearliertoday.Thankyou MayorWowereit,theBerlinSenate,thepolice,andmostofallthankstoallofyouforthis extraordinarywelcome.Thankyou. IcometoBerlinassomanyofmycountrymenhavecomebeforealthoughtonight,Ispeak toyounotasacandidateforPresident,butasacitizenaproudcitizenoftheUnitedStates, andafellowcitizenoftheworld. IknowthatIdontlookliketheAmericanswhovepreviouslyspokeninthisgreatcity.The journeythatledmehereisimprobable.MymotherwasbornintheheartlandofAmerica,but myfathergrewupherdinggoatsinKenya.Hisfathermygrandfatherwasacook,a domesticservanttotheBritish. AttheheightoftheColdWar,myfatherdecided,likesomanyothersintheforgottencorners oftheworld,thathisyearninghisdreamrequiredthefreedomandopportunitypromised bytheWest.AndsohewroteletterafterlettertouniversitiesallacrossAmericauntil somebody,somewhereansweredhisprayerforabetterlife. ThatiswhyIamhere.Andyouareherebecauseyoutooknowthatyearning.Thiscity,ofall cities,knowsthedreamoffreedom.Andyouknowthattheonlyreasonwestandheretonight isbecausemenandwomenfrombothofournationscametogethertowork,andstruggle, andsacrificeforthatbetterlife.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2008.Allrightsreserved.

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Oursisapartnershipthattrulybegan60yearsagothissummer,onthedaywhenthefirst AmericanplanetoucheddownatTempelhof.Onthatdaymuchofthiscontinentstilllayin ruin.Therubbleofthiscityhadyettobebuiltintoawall.TheSovietshadowhadswept acrossEasternEurope,whileintheWest,America,Britain,andFrancetooktheirstockof theirlosses,andponderedhowtheworldmightberemade. Thisiswherethetwosidesmet.AndonthetwentyfourthofJune,1948,theCommunists chosetoblockadethewesternpartofthecity.Theycutofffoodandsuppliestomorethan twomillionGermansinanefforttoextinguishthelastflameoffreedominBerlin. ThesizeofourforceswasnomatchforthelargerSovietArmy.Andyetretreatwouldhave allowedCommunismtomarchacrossEurope.Wherethelastwarhadended,anotherWorld Warcouldhaveeasilybegun.AndallthatstoodinthewaywasBerlin.Andthatswhenthe airliftbegan,whenthelargestandmostunlikelyrescueinthehistorybroughtfoodandhope tothepeopleofthiscity. Theoddswerestackedagainstsuccess.Inthewinter,aheavyfogfilledtheskyabove,and manyplaneswereforcedtoturnbackwithoutdroppingofftheneededsupplies.Thestreets wherewestandwerefilledwithhungryfamilieswhohadnocomfortfromthecold. Butinthedarkesthours,thepeopleofBerlinkepttheflameofhopeburning.Thepeopleof Berlinrefusedtogiveup.Andononefallday,hundredsofthousandsofBerlinerscamehere, totheTiergarten,andheardthecitysmayorimploretheworldnottogiveuponfreedom. Thereisonlyonepossibility,hesaid.Forustostandtogetheruniteduntilthisbattleis wonThepeopleofBerlinhavespoken.Wehavedoneourduty,"hesaid,"andwewillkeep ondoingourduty.Peopleoftheworld,nowdoyourduty.Peopleoftheworld,lookatBerlin. PeopleoftheworldlookatBerlin! LookatBerlin,whereGermansandAmericanslearnedtoworktogetherandtrusteachother lessthanthreeyearsafterfacingeachotheronthefieldofbattle. LookatBerlin,wherethedeterminationofapeoplemetthegenerosityoftheMarshallPlan andcreatedaGermanmiraclewhereawhereavictoryovertyrannygaverisetoNATO, thegreatestallianceeverformedtodefendourcommonsecurity. LookatBerlin,wherethebulletholesinthebuildingsandthesomberstonesandpillarsnear theBrandenburgGateinsistthatweneverforgetourcommonhumanity. PeopleoftheworldlookatBerlin,whereawallcamedown,acontinentcametogether,and historyprovedthatthereisnochallengetoogreatforaworldthatstandsasone. Sixtyyearsaftertheairlift,wearecalleduponagain.Historyhasledustoanewcrossroad, withnewpromiseandnewperil.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2008.Allrightsreserved.

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Whenyou,theGermanpeople,toredownthatwallawallthatdividedEastandWest freedomandtyrannyfearandhopewallscametumblingdownaroundtheworld.From KievtoCapeTown,prisoncampswereclosed,andthedoorsofdemocracywereopened. Marketsopenedtoo,andthespreadofinformationandtechnologyreducedbarriersto opportunityandprosperity.Whilethe20thcenturytaughtusthatweshareacommon destiny,the21stcenturyhasrevealedaworldmoreintertwinedthanatanytimeinhuman history. ThefalloftheBerlinWallbroughtnewhope.Butthatveryclosenesshasgivenrisetonew dangersthatcannotbecontainedwithinthebordersofacountryorbythedistanceofan ocean. Thinkaboutit:TheterroristsofSeptember11thplottedinHamburgandtrainedinKandahar andKarachibeforekillingthousandsfromallovertheglobeonAmericansoil.Aswespeak, carsinBostonandfactoriesinBeijingaremeltingtheicecapsintheArctic,shrinking coastlinesintheAtlantic,andbringingdroughttofarmsfromKansastoKenya. PoorlysecurednuclearmaterialintheformerSovietUnion,orsecretsfromascientistin PakistancouldhelpbuildabombthatdetonatesinParis.ThepoppiesinAfghanistancometo Berlinintheformoftheheroin.ThepovertyandviolenceinSomaliabreedstheterrorof tomorrow.ThegenocideinDarfurshamestheconscienceofusall. Inthisnewworld,suchdangerouscurrentshavesweptalongfasterthanoureffortstocontain them.Andthatiswhywecannotaffordtobedivided.Noonenation,nomatterhowlargeor powerful,candefeatsuchchallengesalone.Noneofuscandenythesethreats,orescape responsibilityinmeetingthem.IntheabsenceofSoviettanksandaterriblewall,ithas becomeeasytoforgetthistruth.Andifwerehonestwitheachother,weknowthat sometimes,onbothsidesoftheAtlantic,wehavedriftedapart,andforgottenourshared destiny. InEurope,theviewthatAmericaispartofwhathasgonewronginourworld,ratherthana forcetohelpusmakeitright,hasbecomealltoocommon.InAmerica,therearevoicesthat derideanddenytheimportanceofEuropesroleinoursecurityandourfuture.Bothviews missthetruth:thatEuropeanstodayarebearingnewburdensandtakingmoreresponsibility incriticalpartsoftheworldandthatjustasAmericanbasesbuiltinthelastcenturystillhelp todefendthesecurityofthiscontinent,sodoesourcountrystillsacrificegreatlyforfreedom aroundtheglobe. Yes,therehavebeendifferencesbetweenAmericaandEurope.Nodoubt,therewillbe differencesinthefuture.Buttheburdensofglobalcitizenshipcontinuetobindustogether.A changeofleadershipinWashingtonwillnotliftthisburden.Inthisnewcentury,Americans andEuropeansalikewillberequiredtodomorenotless.Partnershipandcooperation amongnationsisnotachoiceitistheonlyway,theoneway,toprotectourcommon securityandadvanceourcommonhumanity.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2008.Allrightsreserved.

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Thatiswhythegreatestdangerofallistoallownewwallstodivideusfromoneanother.The wallsbetweenoldalliesoneithersideoftheAtlanticcannotstand.Thewallsbetweenthe countrieswiththemostandthosewiththeleastcannotstand.Thewallsbetweenracesand tribesnativesandimmigrantsChristiansandMuslimsandJewscannotstand.Thesenoware thewallswemustteardown. Weknowthatthesewallshavefallenbefore.Aftercenturiesofstrife,thepeopleofEurope haveformedaUnionofpromiseandprosperity.Here,atthebaseofacolumnbuilttomark victoryinwar,wemeetinthecenterofaEuropeatpeace.Notonlyhavewallscomedownin Berlin,butthey'vecomedowninBelfast,whereProtestantandCatholicfoundawaytolive togetherintheBalkans,whereourAtlanticallianceendedwarsandbroughtsavagewar criminalstojusticeandinSouthAfrica,wherethestruggleofacourageouspeopledefeated apartheid. Sohistoryremindsusthatwallscanbetorndown.Butthetaskisnevereasy.True partnershipandtrueprogressrequiresconstantworkandsustainedsacrifice.Theyrequire sharingtheburdensofdevelopmentanddiplomacyofpeaceandprogress.Theyrequireallies whowilllistentoeachother,learnfromeachotherand,mostofall,trusteachother. ThatiswhyAmericacannotturninward.ThatiswhyEuropecannotturninward.Americahas nobetterpartnerthanEurope.Nowisthetimetobuildnewbridgesacrosstheglobeas strongastheonethatbindsusacrosstheAtlantic.Nowisthetimetojointogether,through constantcooperationandstronginstitutionsandsharedsacrificeandaglobalcommitmentto progress,tomeetthechallengesofthe21stcentury.Itwasthisspiritthatledairliftplanesto appearintheskyaboveourheads,andpeopletoassemblewherewestandtoday.Andthisis themomentwhenournationsandallnationsmustsummonthatspiritanew. Thisisthemomentwhenwemustdefeatterroranddryupthewellofextremismthat supportsit.Thisthreatisrealandwecannotshrinkfromourresponsibilitytocombatit.Ifwe couldcreateNATOtofacedowntheSovietUnion,wecanjoininanewandglobalpartnership todismantlethenetworksthathavestruckinMadridandAmmaninLondonandBaliin WashingtonandNewYork.Ifwecouldwinabattleofideasagainstthecommunists,wecan standwiththevastmajorityofMuslimswhorejecttheextremismthatleadstohateinsteadof hope. Thisisthemomentwhenwemustrenewourresolvetorouttheterroristswhothreatenour securityinAfghanistan,andthetraffickerswhoselldrugsonyourstreets.Noonewelcomes war.IrecognizetheenormousdifficultiesinAfghanistan.Butmycountryandyourshavea stakeinseeingthatNATOsfirstmissionbeyondEuropesbordersisasuccess.Forthepeople ofAfghanistan,andforoursharedsecurity,theworkmustbedone.Americacan'tdothis alone. TheAfghanpeopleneedourtroopsandyourtroopsoursupportandyoursupportto defeattheTalibanandalQaeda,todeveloptheireconomy,andtohelpthemrebuildtheir nation.Wehavetoomuchatstaketoturnbacknow.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2008.Allrightsreserved.

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Thisisthemomentwhenwemustrenewthegoalofaworldwithoutnuclearweapons. The twosuperpowersthatfacedeachotheracrossthewallofthiscitycametooclosetoooftento destroyingallwehavebuiltandallthatwelove.Withthatwallgone,weneednotstandidly byandwatchthefurtherspreadofthedeadlyatom.Itistimetosecureallloosenuclear materialstostopthespreadofnuclearweaponsandtoreducethearsenalsfromanother era.Thisisthemomenttobegintheworkofseekingthepeaceofaworldwithoutnuclear weapons. ThisisthemomentwheneverynationinEuropemusthavethechancetochooseitsown tomorrow,freefromtheshadowsofyesterday.Inthiscentury,weneedastrongEuropean Unionthatdeepensthesecurityandprosperityofthiscontinent,whileextendingahand abroad.InthiscenturyinthiscityofallcitieswemustrejecttheColdWarmindsetof thepast,andresolvetoworkwithRussiawhenwecan,tostandupforourvalueswhenwe must,andtoseekapartnershipthatextendsacrossthisentirecontinent. Thisisthemomentwhenwemustbuildonthewealththatopenmarketshavecreated,and sharethebenefitsmoreequitably.Tradehasbeenacornerstoneofourgrowthandglobal development.Butwewillnotbeabletosustainthisgrowthifitfavorsthefew,andnotthe many.Togetherwemustforgetradethattrulyrewardstheworkthatcreateswealth,with meaningfulprotectionsforourpeopleandourplanet.Thisisthemomentfortradethatisfree andfairforall. ThisisthemomentwemusthelpanswerthecallforanewdawnintheMiddleEast.My countrymuststandwithyoursandwithEuropeinsendingadirectmessagetoIranthatit mustabandonitsnuclearambitions.WemustsupporttheLebanesewho'vemarchedandbled fordemocracy,andtheIsraelisandthePalestinianswhoseekasecureandlastingpeace.And despitepastdifferences,thisisthemomentwhentheworldshouldsupportthemillionsof Iraqiswhoseektorebuildtheirlives,evenaswepassresponsibilitytotheIraqigovernment andfinallybringthiswartoaclose. Thisisthemomentwhenwemustcometogethertosavethisplanet.Letusresolvethatwe willnotleaveourchildrentoaworldwheretheoceansriseandfaminespreadsandterrible stormsdevastateourlands.Letusresolvethatallnationsincludingmyownwillactwith thesameseriousnessofpurposeashasyournation,andreducethecarbonwesendintoour atmosphere.Thisisthemomenttogiveourchildrenbacktheirfuture.Thisisthemomentto standasone. Andthisisthemomentwhenwemustgivehopetothoseleftbehindinaglobalizedworld.We mustrememberthattheColdWarborninthiscitywasnotabattleforlandortreasure.Sixty yearsago,theplanesthatflewoverBerlindidnotdropbombsinsteadtheydeliveredfood, andcoal,andcandytogratefulchildren.Andinthatshowofsolidarity,thosepilotswonmore thanamilitaryvictory.Theywonheartsandmindsloveandloyaltyandtrustnotjustfrom thepeopleinthiscity,butfromallthosewhoheardthestoryofwhattheydidhere.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2008.Allrightsreserved.

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Nowtheworldwillwatchandrememberwhatwedoherewiththismoment.Willweextend ourhandtothepeopleintheforgottencornersofthisworldwhoyearnforlivesmarkedby dignityandopportunity,bysecurityandjustice?WillweliftthechildinBangladeshfrom poverty,andsheltertherefugeeinChad,andbanishthescourgeofAIDSinourtime? WillwestandforthehumanrightsofthedissidentinBurma,thebloggerinIran,orthevoter inZimbabwe?WillwegivemeaningtothewordsneveragaininDarfur? Willweacknowledgethatthereisnomorepowerfulexamplethantheoneeachofournations projectstotheworld?Willwerejecttortureandstandfortheruleoflaw?Willwewelcome immigrantsfromdifferentlands,andshundiscriminationagainstthosewhodontlooklikeus orworshiplikewedo,andkeepthepromiseofequalityandopportunityforallofourpeople? PeopleofBerlinpeopleoftheworldthisisourmoment.Thisisourtime. Iknowmycountryhasnotperfecteditself.Attimes,wevestruggledtokeepthepromiseof libertyandequalityforallofourpeople.Wevemadeourshareofmistakes,andthereare timeswhenouractionsaroundtheworldhavenotliveduptoourbestintentions. ButIalsoknowhowmuchIloveAmerica.Iknowthatformorethantwocenturies,wehave strivedatgreatcostandgreatsacrificetoformamoreperfectuniontoseek,withother nations,amorehopefulworld.Ourallegiancehasneverbeentoanyparticulartribeor kingdomindeed,everylanguageisspokeninourcountryeveryculturehasleftitsimprint onourseverypointofviewisexpressedinourpublicsquares.Whathasalwaysunitedus, whathasalwaysdrivenourpeople,whatdrewmyfathertoAmericasshoresisasetofideals thatspeaktoaspirationssharedbyallpeople:thatwecanlivefreefromfearandfreefrom wantthatwecanspeakourmindsandassemblewithwhomeverwechooseandworshipas weplease. Thesearetheaspirationsthatjointhefatesofallnationsinthiscity.Theseaspirationsare biggerthananythingthatdrivesusapart.Itisbecauseoftheseaspirationsthattheairlift began.Itisbecauseoftheseaspirationsthatallfreepeopleeverywherebecamecitizens ofBerlin.Itisinpursuitoftheseaspirationsthatanewgenerationourgenerationmust makeourmarkontheworld. PeopleofBerlin,andpeopleoftheworld,thescaleofourchallengeisgreat.Theroadahead willbelong.ButIcomebeforeyoutosaythatweareheirstoastruggleforfreedom.Weare apeopleofimprobablehope.Withaneyetowardthefuture,withresolveinourheart,letus rememberthishistory,andanswerourdestiny,andremaketheworldonceagain. Thankyou,Berlin.Godblessyou.Thankyou.Thankyou.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2008.Allrightsreserved.

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