On June 26, 1963 in West Berlin, President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech where he proudly declared "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner). He stated that 2000 years ago the proudest boast was to say "I am a citizen of Rome", but today in the free world the proudest statement one can make is "I am a citizen of Berlin", as all free people around the world, regardless of where they live, are considered citizens of Berlin.