Source: Walta

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Washington – Embassy of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia in the United States in conjunction with the Foreign Diplomats Inaugural Ball committee hosted a pre-inauguration ball celebrating the inauguration of President Barack Obama last Sunday.

The pre-inaugural ball was held at the historic James Monroe Mansion. In his welcoming remarks at the ball, Ethiopian Ambassador to the U.S, Dr. Samuel Assefa said ” Those of us hosting this event are Africans and we are celebrating the rise of a son of Africa to the most powerful position on the planet, President of the United States of America.” The election of Barack Obama is momentous on so many levels. For the United States of America it is perhaps most profoundly a definitive statement about a young nation’s remarkable capacity for self-reform, for renewal of fundamental values, for immovable optimism and boundless energy in the pursuit of a more perfect union, he said. “The election of Senator Barack Obama was truly a remarkable event in the history of the United States and demonstrates once again the greatness of this nation,” Ambassador Dr. Samuel was quoted as having said during the preparation of the ball. “Of course, this election has a special meaning for the people of Africa. One of our own sons was elected President of the United States. This will even further strengthen the ties between the people of Africa and the people of the United States.”

Members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and all ambassadors and staff of all embassies in the United States had been invited to attend.