The Center keeps Freedom’s Flame burning by ensuring our Nation is strong and prepared.

Throughout history the flame has symbolized life and the rise from ignorance to knowledge. Whether it is a single candle lit for a religious remembrance or the Olympic Torch illuminating the entire world, the image of the flame connotes perseverance and unwavering determination.

 

One of the earliest parables dealing with the symbolic meaning of fire is the story of Prometheus, the god who defied Zeus to bring fire to the ancient Greeks and lift them out of darkness. Fire served as the impetus for building the foundation of society, and garnered the symbolic meaning of bringing people out of Socrates allegorical cave and into the enlightened world.

 

Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans, born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of these human rights to which this nation has always been committed…                      – John F. Kennedy

 These ancient interpretations provide the foundation for the modern understanding of the flames symbolism. One flame whose symbolism has transcended from modern to ancient times is the Olympic torch, which has become a symbol for solidarity among nations, the perseverance needed of victory, and the struggle for perfection.

 

Bearing high her torch, the Statue of Liberty is the United States most recognizable symbol of freedom and opportunity. This monument to democracy has greeted millions of new Americans and visitors since France presented it to the United States in 1886.

 

Originally a beacon of freedom and opportunity to the immigrants making their way to Ellis Island it continues to serve as a symbol of freedom and enlightenment for the whole world.  During the Cold War, Libertys torch illuminated the way from communism to democracy as it pierced the Iron Curtain.  Today that same light now shines into a free Afghanistan and into Iraq as it emerges from the shadow of dictatorship.

 

We must do everything in our power to see to it that our nation stays the course by supporting the principles of liberty… Long after were gone if we succeed in our noble missionthe lamp of freedom will burn brightly in the minds and hearts of people everywhere.  This will be our legacy, one which will forever endure the passage of time.       – Ronald Reagan

Regardless of time, nationality, or religion, the flame has always been a symbol of hope and perseverance. Whether it is represented as an all-consuming fire or as a single, determined candle, the flame reminds us of past accomplishments of those who have strove for freedom of all mankind and our responsibility to further that mission.

 

By placing the flame on the Centers logo, we dedicate ourselves to a robust national security policy agenda that ensures America remains strong as it continues to be a beacon of freedom throughout the world.