Post by Admin on Dec 10, 2013 15:13:41 GMT
Joyous, singing South Africans and dozens of foreign dignitaries gathered in the rain Tuesday to honor Nelson Mandela at a massive memorial service that is expected to draw some 100 heads of state and other luminaries, united in tribute to a global symbol of reconciliation.
When President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were shown on monitors inside the stadium taking their seats, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd -- not doubt relishing the symbolism of the first black President of the United States of America coming to pay his respects to Mandela. Taking the podium, Mr. Obama lauded the late South African leader, whom he has said was a great personal inspiration, as "a giant of history who moved the nation toward justice and, in the process, moved billions around the world." He was, according to the American president, "the last great liberator of the 20th century."
President Obama speaks to mourners attending the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Dec. 10, 2013.
Mr. Obama went on to praise Mandela for entrenching the principles of democracy in the country which had for so long been ruled by an elite white minority, saying his "commitment to democracy and the rule of law, (was) ratified not only by his election, but by his willingness to step down form power after only one term." In spite of his praise for Mandela, Mr. Obama noted that the characteristic which made him such a lasting inspiration to so many around the world was that he "insisted on sharing his miscalculations along with his victories... he could admit to imperfections."
On his way to the podium, President Obama shakes hands with Cuban President Raul Castro, an unprecedented gesture between the leaders of two nations that have been at loggerheads for more than half a century.
Former British Prime Minister John Major (centre) greets former US Presidents George W Bush (right) and Bill Clinton (left).
As if to underscore the spirit of reconciliation that Mandela's life embodied, Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro as he made his way down a line of world leaders gathered to honor the anti-apartheid leader. It was a rare moment of accord for the leaders of the two Cold War enemies. Calling himself a beneficiary of Mandela's struggle, Obama traced the influence that Mandela's story has had on his own life, disclosing that he asks himself how well he's applied Mandela's lessons to himself as a man and as president.
When President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were shown on monitors inside the stadium taking their seats, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd -- not doubt relishing the symbolism of the first black President of the United States of America coming to pay his respects to Mandela. Taking the podium, Mr. Obama lauded the late South African leader, whom he has said was a great personal inspiration, as "a giant of history who moved the nation toward justice and, in the process, moved billions around the world." He was, according to the American president, "the last great liberator of the 20th century."
President Obama speaks to mourners attending the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg, Dec. 10, 2013.
Mr. Obama went on to praise Mandela for entrenching the principles of democracy in the country which had for so long been ruled by an elite white minority, saying his "commitment to democracy and the rule of law, (was) ratified not only by his election, but by his willingness to step down form power after only one term." In spite of his praise for Mandela, Mr. Obama noted that the characteristic which made him such a lasting inspiration to so many around the world was that he "insisted on sharing his miscalculations along with his victories... he could admit to imperfections."
On his way to the podium, President Obama shakes hands with Cuban President Raul Castro, an unprecedented gesture between the leaders of two nations that have been at loggerheads for more than half a century.
Former British Prime Minister John Major (centre) greets former US Presidents George W Bush (right) and Bill Clinton (left).
As if to underscore the spirit of reconciliation that Mandela's life embodied, Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro as he made his way down a line of world leaders gathered to honor the anti-apartheid leader. It was a rare moment of accord for the leaders of the two Cold War enemies. Calling himself a beneficiary of Mandela's struggle, Obama traced the influence that Mandela's story has had on his own life, disclosing that he asks himself how well he's applied Mandela's lessons to himself as a man and as president.