Speech by Ambassador Dan Mozena
Event in Honor of U.S. Presidential Inauguration
January 20, 2009

 

Your Excellencies…

Today, I am honored to share with you this historic day for America and, indeed, the world.  Today, Americans celebrate as a people, regardless of political affiliation, the peaceful transition of power, the launch of a new presidency, and the beginning of a new stage of our American journey.

I remember clearly the first presidential inauguration that I watched.  The year was 1961 – I was twelve years old - and my family and I gathered on our farm around our black and white television set to watch the inauguration of John F. Kennedy as the 35^th President of the United States of America.  Since that day, I have proudly watched the peaceful transfer of power from an outgoing president who, upon the end of his term, leaves our capital quietly as a private citizen – to a new President who, by reciting a simple thirty-five word oath – becomes the leader of America.  

Today Barack Obama will travel to the Capitol building, the home of our Congress, and be sworn in as the 44^th President of the United States by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.  Two hundred and twenty years after George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States, my country is very different, yet our Constitution continues to guide us as we peacefully transition power from one president to the next.  Today is truly a celebration of the enduring character of democracy.

Today is also a celebration of the diversity of our democracy and how it has strengthened our country.  In a few moments, we will watch history as Barack Obama takes the oath of office and places his hand on the same bible that Abraham Lincoln used for his inauguration in 1861.  Barack Obama was the victor in a campaign that featured many firsts, including the first African-American contender for President, the first woman and the first Hispanic.  All of these firsts represent the culmination of the vision of great Americans such as Lincoln, civil rights crusader Rosa Parks and one of our national heroes, Martin Luther King, Jr.  It shows the realization of Dr. King’s eloquent dream that his…., “ four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”   

But Barack Obama’s presidency means more than race to Americans --- as the President-elect so eloquently said during his victory speech, his election has shown us the best about the United States, that “…America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.”  This is democracy at its best – an evolving system that changes to represent the will of the governed.

Ladies and Gentlemen – As Ambassador of Angola to the United States, I am honored to see how the people of Angola have embraced the President-elect of the United States.  I now invite our two countries to share a moment of friendship and history as we watch the inauguration of the 44^th President of the United States of America. 

Thank you very much.