Presidential Documents

77881 

Federal Register 

Vol. 88, No. 218 

Tuesday, November 14, 2023 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 10670 of November 8, 2023 

World Freedom Day, 2023 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

On World Freedom Day, we remember that the hammer blow that brought 

down the Berlin Wall and the might that lifted the Iron Curtain were 

not sparked by the words of any single leader—it was the people of Europe 

who spent decades fighting to free themselves and defend democracy. Together, we recommit ourselves to this cause—knowing that the darkness 

that drives autocracy is no match for the flame of liberty that lights the 

souls of free people everywhere. 

Around the globe, we are seeing a revival of the forces of autocracy, which 

are once again demonstrating contempt for the rule of law, democratic 

freedom, and the truth itself. Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine 

is another battle in the long struggle between liberty and authoritarianism, 

one that compels us to remember that the fight for democracy is perennial 

and that we must stand up for our values each and every day. 

That is exactly what the United States is doing. Together with our partners 

and allies, the United States will continue to defend the fundamental freedoms and human rights entitled to every person around the world. We 

will continue working toward a future where women and girls can enjoy 

equal rights and equal participation in their societies; where Indigenous 

groups, people with disabilities, and racial, ethnic, and religious minorities 

do not have their potential stifled by systemic discrimination; and where 

LGBTQI+ people are not persecuted or targeted with violence because of 

who they are. We will continue to stand with people around the world 

striving for a brighter future in the face of autocratic attempts to forge 

a darker path. As we support democracy abroad, we are mindful that our 

own democracy is still at risk. My Administration is working tirelessly 

to show that democracies can deliver on the challenges that matter most 

in peoples’ lives, and I call on the American people to remain vigilant 

in the defense of our democratic values and institutions. 

As we honor the hope felt around the world 34 years ago today when 

Berliners finally crossed from East to West and ushered in a new future, 

we remember that when we choose to stand together and recognize the 

common hopes that bind all humanity, we hold in our hands the power 

to bend the arc of history. Together, may we continue to live up to the 

promises we have made to ourselves, to the vulnerable, and to all those 

who will inherit the world we create. May we work side-by-side to bend 

the arc of history for the good of the world. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States 

of America, do hereby proclaim November 9, 2023, as World Freedom Day. 

I call upon the people of the United States of America to remember the 

hope symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall and reaffirm our dedication 

to freedom and democracy. 


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77882 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 14, 2023 / Presidential Documents 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day 

of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of 

the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 

forty-eighth. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25223 

Filed 11–13–23; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3395–F4–P 


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