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Source: MARCO LONGARI / Getty While the current commander-in-chief panhandles for Russia, former President Barack Obama travelled to South Africa to commemorate the 100th birthday of Nelson Mandela , one of his greatest inspirations. Obama travelled to Africa on Sunday where he first stopped in Kenya, the birthplace of his father. It is his first visit to Africa since leaving office in 2017. He delivered the speech on Tuesday a day before the official commemoration at the 16th annual Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture. During his speech, he warned against “strongman politics,” emphasized need for global diplomacy, and delivered a message of hope directed at the youth. He began his speech recalling Mandela and his legacy. Obama derived many of his beliefs from Mandela–a man who changed the course of history as the first Black president of South Africa. Their lives, uniquely parallel, were not lost on the committee who asked Obama to speak at the conference. Prior to Obama’s speech Mandela’s wife, Graça Machel , told the crowd of more than 15,000 people that Obama is one of the “finest global leaders of the 21st century” and a “youthful symbol of transformative leadership.” Former Pres. Barack Obama: “Through his sacrifice and unwavering leadership, and perhaps most of all through his moral example, Mandela and the movement he led would come to signify something larger…the universal aspirations of dispossessed people all around the world.” pic.twitter.com/lq5vk3yyDV — ABC News (@ABC) July 17, 2018 Obama pulled from other impactful leaders before him mentioning Ghandi , Martin Luther King Jr ., and Abraham Lincoln –three men who used the art of oration to move the masses. Former President Obama: “I believe in Nelson Mandela’s vision. I believe in a vision shared by Gandhi and King and Abraham Lincoln. I believe in a vision… built on the premise that all people are created equal and they’re endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights.” pic.twitter.com/m8lnutnkCH — CNN (@CNN) July 17, 2018 After Trump’s stunning joint press conference with Vladimir Putin on Monday where he refused to acknowledge a known fact–that Russian officials conspired and interceded in the 2016 election, critics and supporters on both sides of the aisle blasted the Trump with calls of treason and incompetence. Obama took a moment to acknowledge Trump’s repeated faux pas and Trump’s commitment to undoing his legacy. Former Pres. Obama: “Look around: strongman politics are ascendant…whereby elections and some pretense of democracy are maintained, the form of it, but those in power seek to undermine every institution or norm that gives democracy meaning.” https://t.co/ClI1zYlCd0 pic.twitter.com/eznFGB2kZD — ABC News (@ABC) July 17, 2018 And in true fashion, Obama also delivered a message of perseverance to the youth–the next generation of global leaders. Former Pres. Barack Obama to young leaders, “those hope carriers”: “Keep believing. Keep marching. Keep building. Keep raising your voice. Every generation has the opportunity to remake the world.” https://t.co/spcXtv2mpR pic.twitter.com/kLiLta2XlA — ABC News (@ABC) July 17, 2018 Obama ended his speech with a tone of unity and togetherness. He used a Mandela quote he previously summoned during the Charlottesville attacks in August. Former Pres. Obama concludes remarks in South Africa: “Madiba reminds us that no one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin.” “People must learn to hate. And if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.” https://t.co/spcXtv2mpR pic.twitter.com/krwf9jB16x — ABC News (@ABC) July 17, 2018 DON’T MISS: Trump Administration Reverses Obama-Era Guidelines On Race In College Admission Process These Are The 2020 Hopefuls Who Met With Barack Obama [ione_media_gallery src=”https://hellobeautiful.com” id=”3007343″ overlay=”true”]
Obama Delivers A Word On ‘Strange And Uncertain Times’ While Honoring Nelson Mandela’s Legacy
