GOOD MORNING JUDGES, TEACHERS, FELLOW PARTICIPANTS AND FRIENDS.
“CERTAINLY I DON’T WANT TO DIE, BUT IF ANYONE MUST LET IT BE ME.
These are the words of Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister and a civil rights
movement activist. He sacrificed his life for the Afro-Americans in the U.S. and his
words have touched millions of lives bringing about transformative changes and his
legacy continues to inspire people throughout the years. His famous speech “I Have a
Dream” was delivered on the 28th of August 1963, to get rid of racism in America. It was
delivered on the steps of Lincoln Memorial and is an evergreen speech throughout the
years. This is one of the most famous speeches in the history, a speech with the
message of hope and the enduring pursuit for freedom. Today, I would like to declamate
a portion of that speech and it goes like this:
I say to you today, my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and
tomorrow, I have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American’s dream. I
have a dream, that one day this nation will rise and live out the true meaning of
its creed.
I have a dream that one day on the red bulls of Georgia, the sons of farmers and
the slaves’ owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that my four little children will be able to live in a nation where
they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their
character.
I have a dream today… I have a dream, that one day every valley shall be exalted,
ever mountain and hill shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain,
and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be
revealed, and all flesh shall see this together. This is our hope. This is the faith
that I go back to the south, with this faith we will be able to work together, to pray
together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, and to stand up for freedom
together knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all god’s children will be able to sing with new
meaning… Let freedom ring, let freedom ring. And if America is meant to be a
great nation, this will come true. So let freedom ring from the mighty mountains
of New York, let freedom ring from the curvaceous shapes of California.
When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every city and hamlet,
from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up the day when all god’s
children, black men and white men, jews and gentiles, protestants and Catholics
will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at
last, free at last, Great God Almighty, we are free at last.
Thank you!
