Los Angeles is a city of dreams, a place of boundless creativity and world-changing ideas.  Its history is defined by those who have come here from around the globe to follow their dreams and make them reality, and their contributions range from Hollywood, skateboards, and the electric guitar to the internet, the space shuttle, and the Mars Rover.  These dreams could not come true without freedom – the freedom to be who you are, to live how you choose, to experiment, to create, to innovate, to do things you can’t do anywhere else. In L.A., we stand for tolerance, inclusion, respect for the rights and dignity of all people, and celebration of our shared humanity -- and we affirm those values at every opportunity. These shared values are what bind Los Angeles and Berlin and have served as the foundation of our long partnership.  Berlin was one of our earliest Sister Cities and I look forward to a continued collaboration that elevates both cities as models of innovation, cooperation, solidarity and tolerance.