President Obamas Remarks at Cairo University Egypt.docx

President Obamas Remarks at Cairo University Egypt.docx

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PresidentObamasRemarksatCairoUniversityEgypt

04June2009

PresidentObama’sRemarksatCairoUniversity,Egypt

SeeksanewbeginningbetweenU.S.,Muslimsbasedonmutualrespect

（Cairo,Egypt）

June4,2009

REMARKSBYTHEPRESIDENTONANEWBEGINNING

CairoUniversity

Cairo,Egypt

1:

10P.M.（Local）

PRESIDENTOBAMA:

  Thankyouverymuch.  Goodafternoon.  IamhonoredtobeinthetimelesscityofCairo,andtobehostedbytworemarkableinstitutions.  Foroverathousandyears,Al-AzharhasstoodasabeaconofIslamiclearning;andforoveracentury,CairoUniversityhasbeenasourceofEgypt'sadvancement.  Andtogether,yourepresenttheharmonybetweentraditionandprogress.  I'mgratefulforyourhospitality,andthehospitalityofthepeopleofEgypt.  AndI'malsoproudtocarrywithmethegoodwilloftheAmericanpeople,andagreetingofpeacefromMuslimcommunitiesinmycountry:

  Assalaamualaykum.（Applause.）

WemeetatatimeofgreattensionbetweentheUnitedStatesandMuslimsaroundtheworld--tensionrootedinhistoricalforcesthatgobeyondanycurrentpolicydebate.  TherelationshipbetweenIslamandtheWestincludescenturiesofcoexistenceandcooperation,butalsoconflictandreligiouswars.  Morerecently,tensionhasbeenfedbycolonialismthatdeniedrightsandopportunitiestomanyMuslims,andaColdWarinwhichMuslim-majoritycountriesweretoooftentreatedasproxieswithoutregardtotheirownaspirations.  Moreover,thesweepingchangebroughtbymodernityandglobalizationledmanyMuslimstoviewtheWestashostiletothetraditionsofIslam.

ViolentextremistshaveexploitedthesetensionsinasmallbutpotentminorityofMuslims.  TheattacksofSeptember11,2001andthecontinuedeffortsoftheseextremiststoengageinviolenceagainstcivilianshasledsomeinmycountrytoviewIslamasinevitablyhostilenotonlytoAmericaandWesterncountries,butalsotohumanrights.  Allthishasbredmorefearandmoremistrust.

Solongasourrelationshipisdefinedbyourdifferences,wewillempowerthosewhosowhatredratherthanpeace,thosewhopromoteconflictratherthanthecooperationthatcanhelpallofourpeopleachievejusticeandprosperity.  Andthiscycleofsuspicionanddiscordmustend.

I'vecomeheretoCairotoseekanewbeginningbetweentheUnitedStatesandMuslimsaroundtheworld,onebasedonmutualinterestandmutualrespect,andonebaseduponthetruththatAmericaandIslamarenotexclusiveandneednotbeincompetition.  Instead,theyoverlap,andsharecommonprinciples--principlesofjusticeandprogress;toleranceandthedignityofallhumanbeings.

Idosorecognizingthatchangecannothappenovernight.  Iknowthere'sbeenalotofpublicityaboutthisspeech,butnosinglespeechcaneradicateyearsofmistrust,norcanIanswerinthetimethatIhavethisafternoonallthecomplexquestionsthatbroughtustothispoint.  ButIamconvincedthatinordertomoveforward,wemustsayopenlytoeachotherthethingsweholdinourheartsandthattoooftenaresaidonlybehindcloseddoors.  Theremustbeasustainedefforttolistentoeachother;tolearnfromeachother;torespectoneanother;andtoseekcommonground.  AstheHolyKorantellsus,"BeconsciousofGodandspeakalwaysthetruth."  （Applause.）  ThatiswhatIwilltrytodotoday--tospeakthetruthasbestIcan,humbledbythetaskbeforeus,andfirminmybeliefthattheinterestsweshareashumanbeingsarefarmorepowerfulthantheforcesthatdriveusapart.

Nowpartofthisconvictionisrootedinmyownexperience.I'maChristian,butmyfathercamefromaKenyanfamilythatincludesgenerationsofMuslims.  Asaboy,IspentseveralyearsinIndonesiaandheardthecalloftheazaanatthebreakofdawnandatthefallofdusk.  Asayoungman,IworkedinChicagocommunitieswheremanyfounddignityandpeaceintheirMuslimfaith.

Asastudentofhistory,Ialsoknowcivilization'sdebttoIslam.  ItwasIslam--atplaceslikeAl-Azhar--thatcarriedthelightoflearningthroughsomanycenturies,pavingthewayforEurope'sRenaissanceandEnlightenment.  ItwasinnovationinMuslimcommunities--（applause）--itwasinnovationinMuslimcommunitiesthatdevelopedtheorderofalgebra;ourmagneticcompassandtoolsofnavigation;ourmasteryofpensandprinting;ourunderstandingofhowdiseasespreadsandhowitcanbehealed.  Islamicculturehasgivenusmajesticarchesandsoaringspires;timelesspoetryandcherishedmusic;elegantcalligraphyandplacesofpeacefulcontemplation.  Andthroughouthistory,Islamhasdemonstratedthroughwordsanddeedsthepossibilitiesofreligioustoleranceandracialequality.  （Applause.）

IalsoknowthatIslamhasalwaysbeenapartofAmerica'sstory.  ThefirstnationtorecognizemycountrywasMorocco.  InsigningtheTreatyofTripoliin1796,oursecondPresident,JohnAdams,wrote,"TheUnitedStateshasinitselfnocharacterofenmityagainstthelaws,religionortranquilityofMuslims."  Andsinceourfounding,AmericanMuslimshaveenrichedtheUnitedStates.  Theyhavefoughtinourwars,theyhaveservedinourgovernment,theyhavestoodforcivilrights,theyhavestartedbusinesses,theyhavetaughtatouruniversities,they'veexcelledinoursportsarenas,they'vewonNobelPrizes,builtourtallestbuilding,andlittheOlympicTorch.  AndwhenthefirstMuslimAmericanwasrecentlyelectedtoCongress,hetooktheoathtodefendourConstitutionusingthesameHolyKoranthatoneofourFoundingFathers--ThomasJefferson--keptinhispersonallibrary.  （Applause.）

SoIhaveknownIslamonthreecontinentsbeforecomingtotheregionwhereitwasfirstrevealed.  ThatexperienceguidesmyconvictionthatpartnershipbetweenAmericaandIslammustbebasedonwhatIslamis,notwhatitisn't.  AndIconsideritpartofmyresponsibilityasPresidentoftheUnitedStatestofightagainstnegativestereotypesofIslamwherevertheyappear.（Applause.）

ButthatsameprinciplemustapplytoMuslimperceptionsofAmerica.  （Applause.）  JustasMuslimsdonotfitacrudestereotype,Americaisnotthecrudestereotypeofaself-interestedempire.  TheUnitedStateshasbeenoneofthegreatestsourcesofprogressthattheworldhaseverknown.  Wewerebornoutofrevolutionagainstanempire.  Wewerefoundedupontheidealthatallarecreatedequal,andwehaveshedbloodandstruggledforcenturiestogivemeaningtothosewords--withinourborders,andaroundtheworld.  Weareshapedbyeveryculture,drawnfromeveryendoftheEarth,anddedicatedtoasimpleconcept:

  Epluribusunum--"Outofmany,one."

Now,muchhasbeenmadeofthefactthatanAfricanAmericanwiththenameBarackHusseinObamacouldbeelectedPresident.（Applause.）  Butmypersonalstoryisnotsounique.  ThedreamofopportunityforallpeoplehasnotcometrueforeveryoneinAmerica,butitspromiseexistsforallwhocometoourshores--andthatincludesnearly7millionAmericanMuslimsinourcountrytodaywho,bytheway,enjoyincomesandeducationallevelsthatarehigherthantheAmericanaverage.  （Applause.）

Moreover,freedominAmericaisindivisiblefromthefreedomtopracticeone'sreligion.  Thatiswhythereisamosqueineverystateinourunion,andover1,200mosqueswithinourborders.  That'swhytheUnitedStatesgovernmenthasgonetocourttoprotecttherightofwomenandgirlstowearthehijabandtopunishthosewhowoulddenyit.  （Applause.）

Solettherebenodoubt:

  IslamisapartofAmerica.  AndIbelievethatAmericaholdswithinherthetruththatregardlessofrace,religion,orstationinlife,allofussharecommonaspirations--toliveinpeaceandsecurity;togetaneducationandtoworkwithdignity;toloveourfamilies,ourcommunities,andourGod.  Thesethingsweshare.  Thisisthehopeofallhumanity.

Ofcourse,recognizingourcommonhumanityisonlythebeginningofourtask.  Wordsalonecannotmeettheneedsofourpeople.  Theseneedswillbemetonlyifweactboldlyintheyearsahead;andifweunderstandthatthechallengeswefaceareshared,andourfailuretomeetthemwillhurtusall.

Forwehavelearnedfromrecentexperiencethatwhenafinancialsystemweakensinonecountry,prosperityishurteverywhere.  Whenanewfluinfectsonehumanbeing,allareatrisk.  Whenonenationpursuesanuclearweapon,theriskofnuclearattackrisesforallnations.  Whenviolentextremistsoperateinonestretchofmountains,peopleareendangeredacrossanocean.  WheninnocentsinBosniaandDarfurareslaughtered,thatisastainonourcollectiveconscience.  （Applause.）  Thatiswhatitmeanstosharethisworldinthe21stcentury.  Thatistheresponsibilitywehavetooneanotherashumanbeings.

Andthisisadifficultresponsibilitytoembrace.  Forhumanhistoryhasoftenbeenarecordofnationsandtribes--and,yes,religions--subjugatingoneanotherinpursuitoftheirowninterests.  Yetinthisnewage,suchattitudesareself-defeating.  Givenourinterdependence,anyworldorderthatelevatesonenationorgroupofpeopleoveranotherwillinevitablyfail.  Sowhateverwethinkofthepast,wemustnotbeprisonerstoit.  Ourproblemsmustbedealtwiththroughpartnership;ourprogressmustbeshared.  （Applause.）

Now,thatdoesnotmeanweshouldignoresourcesoftension.Indeed,itsuggeststheopposite:

  Wemustfacethesetensionssquarely.  Andsointhatspirit,letmespeakasclearlyandasplainlyasIcanaboutsomespecificissuesthatIbelievewemustfinallyconfronttogether.

Thefirstissuethatwehaveto