the reconciliation within reconciliation with the germens and ukraineans. from that perspective challengeo be the reconciliation with the russian nation for freedom when it is wisely managed. favor goodays relations with its neighbors. that is why it is with great satisfaction that with the president of germany we will connect also to germany and further it onwards to western , also running to the east of poland in the future. we fully appreciate the freedom we have regained, although we are starting to treat it as granted, something

obvious. that being said, we remember the different days when freedom was lacking. we remember the price we had to pay for regaining it. so i am very happy to see this now 25 years after more than 71% believe that it was worthwhile. 80% of people declare themselves aree happy, and 89% accepting of poland's alignment and precipitation -- and participation with the western world. so i wish to take this occasion to thank all polish women and men for having survived the evil grasping for independence. thank you for the acceptance of

difficult, challenging, often hard but necessary reform. the 25 years of freedom is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the day and to enjoy our good goodne, particularly fortune. we are fortunate enough to live in a very happy period of time, the happiest one in a millennium of our existence. this is also the occasion to thank everyone who opposed evil in the days of totalitarianism and those who move the wheels of change in our country, with your hard work, your effort, for the 25 years and freedom. i wish to thank all the opposition leaders, all the ,truggles and freedom fighters and my special words of gratitude go to alesse.

thank all the presidents, prime ministers, ministers, members of parliament, and activists for all they have done in the last 25 years. i also wish to express my wholehearted thanks to our friends and nations together with whom we would rope -- we broke through the divisions. our allies to thank and friends from the free world who showed support for the fight. i am glad that today, together with the president of france, francois hollande, i have the opportunity of unveiling the exhibition that will commemorate .he people of the free world

i would like to express special thanks to the united states, represented here by the president, mr. barack obama, for raising the proud standards of citizens that rides so very high. they bolster our faith in the and the efficiency of our actions. thank the ones who helped us to manage our freedom wisely, to reinforce it. i wish to thank the people who lived in the free world and who believed in us, who led us support in our endeavors to have poland firmly anchored in the western world through the membership of nato and the european union. i wish to thank all free people

who show the ones understanding for those fighting for freedom and sovereignty. i wish to thank you for went tong us as you follow the same path as we did, the path toward freedom. there is no freedom without solidarity. this is what we shouted out loud in this square during the solidarity demonstrations under martial law. but it is not freedom without solidarity today in a free poland in 2014. i wish to reiterate this widely known truth. there is no freedom without solidarity, and there is no the solidarity of the free world. there is no freedom without solidarity with those who are dreaming about their freedom, to

defend their freedom. there is no freedom without solidarity with the countries of the eastern partnership, especially with moldova, georgia, and ukraine. i wish to express those words clearly in the president -- in the presence of the president elect, mr. petro poroshenko. solidarity is needed in a particular way for the ukrainian nation, the nation that is facing the threat of aggression and immense challenges with modernization. there is no freedom without solidarity with ukraine. for that reason, i am extending my warmest thanks to the leaders .f the free world

presence as ar source of joy, your presence here in front of a castle raised from rubble substantiates the continues toreedom move our hearts and minds. it associates the convictions that the defense of freedom remains the source of our solidarity. thank you.

>> the president of the united states, barack obama. warsaw., polish]g mr. president, mr. prime minister, madam mayor, heads of state and government past and present, including the man who jumped that shipyard wall to

lead a strike that became a movement, the prisoner turned president who transformed this nation, thank you, like walesa alesa, for your outstanding leadership. distinguished guests, people of poland. thank you for your extraordinary welcome and for the privilege of joining you here today. i bring with me the greetings and friendship of the american people and of my hometown of chicago, home to so many proud polish americans. in chicago we think of ourselves as a little piece of poland. in some neighborhoods you only hear polish. together at come

churches. we have a parade for polish constitution day, and every , and we arelebrate all a little bit polish for that day. so being here with you, it feels like home. [applause] witnessedgo today, we a scene that had once seemed impossible. election, where for the first time the people of this nation .ad a choice the communist regime thought the election would validate their rule and weaken the opposition. instead, poles turned out in the millions.

and when the votes were counted, it was a landslide victory for freedom. one woman who voted that day said there is a sense that something is beginning to happen , and we feel the taste of poland again. she was right. it was the beginning of the end of communism. country butthis across europe. year ares of that seared in our collective memory. citizens filling the streets of budapest and bucharest. hungarians and austrians cutting the barbed wire border. protesters joining hands across the baltics. -- czechs slovaks

and slovaks. east berliners climbing atop that wall. we have seen the extraordinary progress since that time. , agents inrmany central and eastern europe standing tall as proud democracies. a europe that is more integrated, more prosperous, and more secure. spark, never forget the for so much of this revolutionary change, for this loss amid of hope was lit by you , the people of poland. [applause] history was made here.

was theory of 1989 culmination of centuries of polish struggle, at times in this very square. poles whotions of rose up and won independence, the soldiers who resisted invasion from the east and the west. ,he righteous among the nations among them, young tarski, who raced -- who risked all to save those from the holocaust. warsaw ghettothe who refused to go without a fight. whofree poles of normandy, even as the city was reduced to rubble raised the historic uprising. we remember how when the iron curtain descended, you never

accepted your fate. when a son of poland assented to the chair of st. peter's, he inspired with his words, "there can be no just europe without the independence of poland." we give thanks to the anchorage -- to the encouragement of the catholic church and the fearlessness of pope john paul ii. [applause] recall how you prevailed 25 years ago. in the face of beatings and bullets, you never wavered from .he moral force of nonviolence through the darkness of martial law, poles lit candles in their windows.

when the regime finally agreed to talk, you embraced dialogue. when they held those elections, and even though not fully free, you participated. as one solidarity leader said at the time, "we decided to accept ."at was possible so poland reminds us that sometimes the smallest steps, however imperfect, and ultimately tear down walls, can ultimately transform the world. [applause] victory that your .une day was only the beginning as your president just indicated, democracy is more than just elections. ,rue democracy, real prosperity lasting security -- these are neither simply given nor pulled from the outside. they must he earned and built

from within. be earned and built from within. oppression,rty and between solidarity and intolerance, poland's progress shows the endurance and strength of the ideals that we cherish as a free people. ofe we see the strength democracy, citizens raising their voices free from fear. here we see political parties competing in open and honest elections. here we see independent judiciary working to uphold the rule of law. here in poland we see a vibrant press and a growing civil society that holds leaders accountable because governments exist to lift up their people not to hold them down. here we see the strength of free markets and the results of hard

reforms. gleaming skyscrapers soaring above the city and superhighways across the country. high-tech hubs and living standards that previous generations of poles could only imagine. this is the new poland you have built. miracle -- [speaking polish] here we see the free nations that stand united, and across those centuries of struggle, poland's saint too often was dictated by others. this land was -- poland's fate too often was dictated by others. as few othertands, nations do, that every nation must the free to chart its own

forge its own partnerships, to choose its own allies. marks the 15th anniversary of poland's membership in nato, and we honor polish service in the balkans and iraq and afghanistan. we are proud to call: one of our strongest and closest allies. proud to call poland one of our strongest and closest allies. [applause] this is the poland we celebrate today, the free and democratic forebears andur some who are here today dreamed of and fought for and in some cases died for. polandwing and secure that you, particularly the young people who are here today, have enjoyed for your entire lives.

it is a wonderful story, but the story of this nation reminds us that freedom is not guaranteed. history cautions us to never take rs for granted. progress forake granted. on the same day 25 years ago that poles were voting here, tanks were crushing peaceful anmenracy protests in tian square on the other side of the world. the blessings of liberty must be earned and renewed by every generation, including our own. this is the work to which we rededicate ourselves today. our democracies must be defined not by what or who we are against but by a politics of inclusion that welcomes all of our citizens. our economies must deliver a

broader prosperity that creates more opportunity across europe and across the world, especially for young people. leaders must uphold the public trust and stand against corruption, not steal from the pockets of their own people. embrace aies must greater justice that recognizes the inherent dignity of every human being. and as we have been reminded by russia's aggression in ukraine, our free nations cannot be complacent in pursuit of the vision we share, a europe that is whole and free and at peace. we must work for that. we have to stand with those who seek freedom. [applause] i know that throughout history the polish people were abandoned by friends when you needed them

the most. so i have come to warsaw today, on behalf of the united states, on behalf of the nato alliance, to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to poland's security. is clear. an attack on one is an attack on all come and we have the obligation to defend your territorial integrity, and we will. we stand together, now and forever, for your freedom is ours. poland will never stand alone. but not just poland. estonia will never stand alone. latvia will never stand alone. lithuania will never stand alone. romania will never stand alone. these are not just words. they are an unbreakable commitment. back by the strongest alliance in the world and the armed

forces of the united states of america, the most powerful military in history. you see our commitment today. new aircraft in the skies of the baltics -- nato aircraft in the skies of the baltics, allied ships patrolling the black sea. in the stepped-up exercises where our forces moved together, presenceour increased here on polish soil. we do these things not to threaten any nation but to defend the security and ourselves and our friends. yesterday i announced a new initiative to bolster the security of our nato allies and increase america's military presence in europe, and this will mean more equipment to respond quickly in a crisis and more exercises and training to

keep our forces ready. in thenal u.s. forces air and the sea and on land, including here in poland. it will mean increased support to help friends like ukraine and moldova and georgia to provide for their own defense. [applause] just as the united states is increasing our commitment, so must others. every nato member is protected by our alliance, and every nato member must carry its share in our alliance. it is the responsibility that we have to each other. peoples, wefree join together not simply to safeguard our own security, but to advance the freedom of others . today we reaffirm the principles for which we stand.

we stand together because we believe that people and nations have the right to determine their own destiny, and that includes the people of ukraine. a corrupt regime, ukrainians demanded a government that serves them. beaten and bloodied, they refused to yield. they lined up to vote, they elected a new president in a free election because a leader of legitimacy can only come from the consent of the people. ukrainians have now embarked on the hard road of reform. i met with president elect poroshenko this morning and i told him that just as free nations offer support and assistance to poland and your transition to democracy, we stand with ukrainians now. ukraine must be free to choose its own future for itself and by itself. [applause]

zero-sumject the thinking of the past. a free and independent ukraine russiarowing trade with and the united states and the rest of the world. because the people of ukraine are reaching out for the same freedom and opportunities and progress that we celebrate here today. too.hey deserve them, we stand together because we believe that upholding peace and security is the responsibility of every nation. the days of empires and the spheres of influence are over. bigger nations must not be allowed to bully the small or impose their will with the barrel of a gun or with masked men taking over buildings. the stroke of a pen can never

legitimize the theft of a neighbor's land, so we will not accept russia's occupation of crimea or its violation of ukraine's sovereignty. standee nations will united so that russia's further propagation will only mean further isolation for russia. because after investing so much blood and treasure to bring europe together, how can we allow the dark tactics of the 20th century to define this new century? we stand together because we know that the spirit of warsaw and budapest and prague and thein stretches to wherever longing for freedom stirs in minskhearts, whether in or damascus or pyongyang.

wherever people are willing to do the hard work of building have acy, they will partner in our nations. from the struggles of these citizens, we recall our own struggles. in their faces, we see our own. few see this more clearly than the people of poland. today are the of heirs of solidarity. men and women like you who dared to challenge a bankrupt regime. and when you're peaceful protests were met with an iron fist, poles place flowers in the shipyard. today ukrainians honor their fallen with flowers in independence square. we remember the polish voter who rejoiced to feel the taste of poland again.

echoed and savored what she called the taste of real freedom. , and we areountry standing up for justice and freedom." with gratitude for the strongest support of the polish people, she spoke for many ukrainians when she said, "thank you, poland, we hear you and we love you." [applause] same.we can say the thank you, poland. thank you for your courage, thank you for reminding the world that no matter how brutal the crackdown, no matter how long the knife, the yearning for freedom and dignity does not go away. it will never go away. thank you, poland, for your iron yes, and for showing that, ordinary citizens can grab the rain is of history -- can grab the reins of history.

thank you, poland, for your triumph -- not of arms, but of the human spirit. the truth that carries us forward. there is no change without risk and no progress without sacrifice and no freedom without solidarity. polish]g , god blessoland america," our unbreakable alliance. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, obama!

thank you, obama! thank you, obama! -- thegreat presidents gray words are presidents are duly complemented by the suite. the jazz symphonic suite has been composed -- it will be the composer and author will play the piano. by -- ll be accompanied

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[applause] the polish road to freedom -- it all started in poland went poles, 4, 1989, the together with gary cooper of the action, opted for freedom and the democratic , the people who were born

in free poland and assembled. >> the polish history of the road to freedom closes the ceremony. thank you for your attendance. [speaking polish] >> on behalf of the council of the president of roland and the national culture center, we want to thank you for your attendance in this festive occasion. applause]

[music plays]

[cheers and applause] >> if you missed any of the celebration from poland, you can see it in our video library. go to c-span.org.

the president's overseas trip will continue today when he travels to russell's, for a meeting with king felipe and belgium's prime minister. he will also meet with ukrainian president-elect petro poroshenko before attending the g7 meeting. his trip will conclude on friday in normandy when he and president obama marked the 70th anniversary of the d-day invasion of world war ii. "washington journal" begins in about five minutes from now. we will be joined by ofrles stimson, speaking president obama's to release taliban prisoners in exchange for bowe bergdahl. results of at

primaries in eight states yesterday. you can enjoy and the -- you can join the rotation on facebook and twitter. ," at 7:00n journal eastern here on c-span. >> we wanted a building that was to thecessible community, and it needed to be able to incorporate the future that we did not -- you know, you cannot protect the future. part of the problem with the old library is that we were tapped out on computers and wiring that we could fit into the structure, so the new building needed flexibility and movement into the future. one thing we liked about the differenthe combined geometric features. he had the triangular main part of the building. we have around auditorium that

sits on the side of the building, a rectangular structure on the west side that we call the bar. and then the crescent wall that hugs the library on the north and east side. all of these different geometric features are bridged together with skylights, so light flows through the building at all levels, and we have a total 360-degree view of our surroundings. a i think it is vital for community to have a library that brings people together, and this particular space was geared in bringing the community together. it is an opportunity for people to remember the things that hold the city together, the public safety officers, the mayor and the various departments and the library already work together to build the city. and i like that he has physically done that with the architecture. learn about the

rich history and literary life of salt lake city, utah, saturday on c-span2's book tv, and sunday on c-span3's american history tv. >> on a lonely windswept point the airhore of france, is soft, but 40 years ago at this moment the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. morning of june 6, 1944, 225 rangers jumped off the british landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion -- to climb these sheer and desolate lifts and take out the enemy guns. the allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be

trained on the beaches to stop the allied advance. the rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers at the edge of the cliffs shooting down with machine guns and throwing grenades. the american rangers began to climb. >> this weekend, american history tv will mark the 70th anniversary of the d-day invasion of normandy, starting 10:30 a.m.rning at eastern. that is followed by author and historian craig symonds. at 12:30 he will take your questions live. and presidential speeches commemorating the day. saturday on c-span3 on american history tv. up next, "washington journal." joining us today, charles stimson, giving us his president obama's

release of guantanamo bay prisoners in exchange for bowe b ergdahl. live now to "washington journal." good morning, everyone, on this wednesday, june 4, 2014. yesterday was primary day in 8 states. thad cochranenator was fighting the political race of his life yesterday, locked in a nailbiter against keep writ -- tea party-backed chris mcdaniel's, too close to call this morning. the back-and-forth between congress and the president over the release of captured sergeant bowe bergdahl heated up