Moments ago, Senator Barack Obama stood before a crowd of tens of thousands in Berlin (estimated at 200,000), to give a speech titled: A World That Stands As One.” We know there were ONE members, in ONE shirts, in the crowd - and we hope to get a post from them soon.

The speech itself drew upon many themes related to ONE’s work. Below some excerpts:

The poverty and violence in Somalia breeds the terror of tomorrow. The genocide in Darfur shames the conscience of us all….

That is why we cannot afford to be divided. No one nation, no matter how large or powerful, can defeat such challenges alone…

This is the moment when we must build on the wealth that open markets have created, and share its benefits more equitably. Trade has been a cornerstone of our growth and global development. But we will not be able to sustain this growth if it favors the few, and not the many. Together, we must forge trade that truly rewards the work that creates wealth, with meaningful protections for our people and our planet. This is the moment for trade that is free and fair for all…

This is the moment to stand as one.

And this is the moment when we must give hope to those left behind in a globalized world. We must remember that the Cold War born in this city was not a battle for land or treasure. Sixty years ago, the planes that flew over Berlin did not drop bombs; instead they delivered food, and coal, and candy to grateful children. And in that show of solidarity, those pilots won more than a military victory. They won hearts and minds; love and loyalty and trust – not just from the people in this city, but from all those who heard the story of what they did here.

Now the world will watch and remember what we do here – what we do with this moment. Will we extend our hand to the people in the forgotten corners of this world who yearn for lives marked by dignity and opportunity; by security and justice? Will we lift the child in Bangladesh from poverty, shelter the refugee in Chad, and banish the scourge of AIDS in our time?

Full script here.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 24th, 2008 at 2:26 pm and is filed under Germany, Sen. Barack Obama. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.