Welcome to all of you. It’s a pleasure for me, on behalf of the American people, to host you today for this celebration of the 228th anniversary of American independence.

We gather today not just in celebration, but also in gratitude. We have so many blessings to count. We thank our families for their love and support. We are thankful for our freedom. And we thank the Mexican people for their friendship with the United States.

The men who drafted our Declaration of Independence 228 years ago took a tremendous risk. It was a risk made by men who believed passionately that the cause of self-governance, freedom, and equality for all were more than just ideas. They were moral imperatives worth fighting and sacrificing their lives for. Each person who signed that document believed what President Dwight. D. Eisenhower would later state: “Only our individual faith in freedom can keep us free.”

We celebrate the commitment and vision of our forefathers to a democratic future that we had the good fortune to inherit, but recognize that the task of building a democracy is never complete. Just as we must constantly work to stay true and vigilant to the democratic ideals that guide our country, we take joy and stand ready to help other countries embarked on the same great journey. This week, in Iraq, for example, we mark the transfer of power to a new Iraqi government. We are all aware of the difficulties and challenges that still lie ahead, but on this day we congratulate the Iraqi people for this historic step toward a new state that will be more open, prosperous and free.

The United States of America and our friend, Mexico, are united in our common desire to see all of our citizens enjoy the fruits of independence, democracy and liberty. We welcome the benefits and the struggles that come with freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

Please join me in raising your glass in a toast to the United States of America, to Mexico, and to the friendship that binds us.