President Obama's Weekly Radio Address (April 11, 2009)

HIGHLIGHTS:

I speak to you today during a holy time for believers all around the world. Earlier this week Jewish people gathered with family and friends to recite the stories of their ancestors' struggle and ultimate liberation. Tomorrow, Christians of all denominations come together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

These are two very different holidays with their own very different traditions, but it seems fitting that we mark them both in the same week, for in a larger sense, they're both moments of reflection and renewal; they're both occasions to think more deeply about the obligations we have to ourselves and to one another, no matter who we are.

This idea that we're "all bound up," as Martin Luther King said, " in a single garment of destiny," is a lesson of all the world's great religions, and it never has been more important to reaffirm that lesson than it is today.

An economic crisis that recognizes no borders; violent extremism; a dependence on foreign oil; the persistence of deadly disease; age old conflicts: the United States must lead the way. Our ability to solve these problems comes as we act in concert with leaders of other nations. Together we've taken steps to stimulate growth; steps that will lead to job creation at home.

We will defeat 21st century security threats. It's only by coordinating with other countries to stop the spread of the most dangerous weapons. I shared a strategy in Prague to free the world of the menace of a nuclear nightmare. Only through mutual trust will we tackle our biggest problems. That's why I spoke in Turkey about rising above the barriers that divide us.

We can't allow old differences to get in the way or walls of mistrust stand. We must find and stand on our mutual interests. That's where progress begins. We live in a dangerous world, but let us not allow our differences stop us from coming together from solutions necessary for our survival and success.

Let's find strength in our shared resolve; in our purpose and aspirations this Easter weekend, to fulfill the meaning of these sacred days, and as our role in being a leader around the world.