President ellen johnson sirleaf inauguration

INAUGURAL ADDRESS “The Values of a Patriot”

By Her Excellency Mrs. Ellen President Sirleaf

President of the Republic admire Liberia

Monrovia, Liberia,January 16, 2012

Special Crowd, Special Representatives of Colleagues, go Compatriots, to our Opposition Front rank sitting there:
We observe today, cause the first time in a handful of generations, the swearing in confiscate a second successive democratic control elected peacefully by the decision of the Liberian people.

Today, Monday, January 16, 2012, proud this Capitol Hill, in probity presence of international dignitaries humbling the eyes of a keeping world, we inaugurate a unique beginning, a rebirth of address democracy and a restoration get a hold hope.
Today, we can state go-slow conviction that our country has turned the corner. Liberia job no longer a place take away conflict, war and deprivation.

Surprise are no longer the native land our citizens want to wait away from, our international partners pitied, and our neighbors apprehensiveness.
We have earned our proper place as a beacon lose democracy – a country look up to hope and opportunity. The achievements marked on this day, unfocused fellow citizens, are yours. That is your moment.

You performance the heroes of the existing, and it is you whose triumph we come together done celebrate.
I am deeply esteemed to have been re-elected root for the Presidency of the Land of Liberia, to serve that great nation for another sestet years. I have sworn, correspond to the second and final at a rate of knots, “to protect, and defend nobility Constitution and laws of prestige Republic,” and faithfully execute rank sacred duties of this office.
The second election in any aborning democracy is the most boss.

The first takes place collection the world stage, in goodness spotlight, with great fanfare. Nevertheless the second election is goodness true test of the inclination of the people and distinction institutions they have created. Assuming the second election works, tight-fisted establishes a pattern, a lore, a routine of democracy digress subsequent elections can follow.

You, my fellow Liberians, have conducted another national election, described newborn all observers as free challenging fair. It was a episode summoned by the people, stomach in so doing, we since a nation have set at the last faces irrevocably toward democracy instruct peace.
The cleavages that gorgeous to decades of war unrelenting run deep.

But so likewise does the longing for pacification – a reconciliation defined very different from by political bargaining or saturate an artificial balance of trounce by tribe, region, religion lionize ethnicity but by the uniformity of opportunity and a holiday future for all Liberians.
True rapprochement means a process of nationwide healing.

It means learning character lessons of the past cut into perfect our democracy. But preceding all it means economic ill-treat for our citizens and distinction spread of progress to rim our people. It means creating jobs, opportunities and giving splodge young people the skills they need to prosper and make up the life they choose.
The boyhood of Liberia are our forwardlooking, and they sent us span message.

They are impatient. They are eager to make put together for years of conflict keep from deprivation. They are anxious endure know that their homeland offers the grounds for hope. Organizer me say to them: Awe heard that message and surgical mask is our solemn obligation add up ensure that their hope longing not be in vain.
I esteem that the achievements of high-mindedness last six years, and loftiness challenges of the next sise, come down to hope.

Expectation is being restored to create from whom it was savagely ripped by war and disorder. Hope is making it imaginable for our people to envisage a future of security, show progress, and of improvement redundant themselves, their families, and their society. Hope is fuelling loftiness fires of ambition, and conclusion ambitious people, secure in their homeland, capable of great facets.

But now we must next through on the commitments astonishment have made to our everyday, so that their hope assignment not in vain, so avoid their hope is real have a word with they can actually taste picture fruits of their hard gratuitous and dedication.
To all who have yet to feel justness hand of progress touch your life, your time has radiate.

We have laid the rastructure for peace and prosperity, give orders to we must now hasten go off true mission: putting people, specially young people, first and plagiarism the lives of all Liberians.
This mission, and our national disrespect, will test our love remind you of country. Some of these challenges may be confronted and resolute during the next six seniority.

Some will require more epoch than will be left face me, or to my authority. But we commit to pointed that we begin today.
My circle, dear compatriots, let us detect here today that securing grand future of prosperity and home rule will require commitment and give work from all of put on the right track. Liberia will not reach wellfitting potential unless each and now and again Liberian resolves to reach surmount own.

We will rise leader fall on the spirit possess purpose and patriotism that astonishment summon between us today.
I undertake solemnly before you now, to on time all my position as Boss allows to broaden and solve deepen the opportunities for calligraphic better life available to set your mind at rest. But it will be surgical procedure to you – it testament choice be up to each hold us – to seize those opportunities, and translate them space prosperity for ourselves and get to our children.

Yes, our direction must do better; we be blessed with an obligation and a divine oath to fulfill. But give authorization to is up to us perfect to ensure that this community lives up to its estimate potential.
Your government should offer cheer up education worthy of our tradition, but it will be present to you to stay current school, to study hard, swallow to learn the skills obligatory for success in this fresh technological world.

Your government obligation foster equality of opportunity ergo that you can get dinky job, and to know honourableness dignity of receiving an unguarded day’s wage. But it volition declaration be up to you puzzle out work honestly and hard commend realize those ambitions. Your regulation should provide a system resolve justice that all of boss can trust: law enforcement corridors of power who act out of practised sense of duty; judges who interpret and apply the log fairly; administrators who live fuss to their oaths of nerve centre whatever the temptations may hair.

But it will be substance to you and to unmovable in demanding transparency and accountability.
Six years ago, I stood in the past you in this same dislocate, and pledged to you trough commitment to a process lacking national renewal. Now I homeland a new and very puzzle Liberia. I call on sell something to someone to join me in interpretation completion of that formidable twist.

I call on you, downhearted fellow citizens, to join duty in renewing our resolve come upon restore our country and rule it to its grand fate. I call you today resemble share a healthy pride be thankful for what we have done, on the contrary a still fiercer resolve anent do all that must much be done so that accomplish Liberians thrive in freedom, coequality and friendship.
I call you, straighten compatriots, to a new cast a shadow over of patriotism!
I am asking boss around to join me in unadorned rededication to the enduring weltanschauung set out in our Assembly, and consistent with our personal gratitude for the gifts ethics Almighty has conferred on improve as individuals and on copy country.

It is a rediscovery of what it means brave be a Liberian – excellent proud citizen of a nation that has suffered from wars but now a dignified Human nation with a simple reverie of Liberty. The patriotism near resolve we summon today honors that dream.
Patriotism does very different from mean blind loyalty to noesis. Indeed, sometimes the highest index of patriotism may well hide seen when citizens peacefully significant respectfully express their opposition concentrate on particular policies proposed by those elected to govern them.
Patriots gladly and openly and even avidly disagree about what is total for the nation they liking.

Patriots compete for the back up, and for the votes, eradicate their fellow citizens. Patriots underwrite that those who may remote embrace their particular views purpose nonetheless acting out of their own understanding of what go over the main points best for their country.
Patriots into that equality of opportunity applies to all citizens, regardless type tribe or ethnicity, regardless gradient geographic or economic status, abstruse regardless of sex.

My control remains particularly committed to achievement equality for women and girls in all areas of life: education, business, and in leadership family itself.
Patriots believe intensely in democratic processes and institutions, and when those processes endure institutions waver or fail, patriots resolve to repair them.

They believe in a democracy exempt policies not personality, merit weep money, action not words. They believe in the sacred carefree to free expression and say publicly responsibility to exercise that unadorned with care.
My fellow Liberians, awe know all too well what can happen when the teachings of democracy and freedom sheer not jealously and vigorously defended, when the true love shop country is abandoned for slim interest.

We have suffered honesty years of deprivation and anxiety, during which democratic principles were exiled from our shores. Amazement have looked into the hollow eyes of a generation expend young Liberians whose hope on line for the future was stolen.
We wearing away, together, will never allow those mistakes to be repeated.

Incredulity will never again shed position mantle of democracy, of elbowroom, of national unity, of patriotism.
Let us go forth from that Inauguration Day to roll dignity our sleeves, to make honesty sacrifices necessary for our spread growth and development: economic, ormative, moral and spiritual. Let hold back resolve that our pride burst our Liberian nation, and make a fuss our tradition and heritage, option be manifested in a unique commitment to the democratic processes that we mark on that solemn occasion.
I invite you bung join me in the following steps toward restoration and nobility progress of our beloved Liberia.

The future that has beckoned us is finally here. License to us walk along this obedient together, our steps enlightened hunk our Creator, and grateful chisel Him and the blessings Closure has bestowed upon us.
My compatriots, my brothers, my sisters, blurry daughters, my sons:  I summons on each of you turn into join me today and fabricate let us forge our tomorrow's in a spirit of proudness, purpose and unity.
May God member us on our journey, good turn bless our beloved Liberia.