世界各地庆奥巴马当选美国总统

世界各地庆奥巴马当选美国总统Africa, and world, celebrate Obama victoryFrom Europe and Asia to the Middle East, many expressed amazement that the US co uld overcome centuries of racial strife and elect an African-American president.Africa"If it were possible for me to get to the United States on my bicycle, I would," said Jo seph Ochieng, a 36-year-old carpenter who lives in Kenya's sprawling Kibera shantytow n.Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki declared a public holiday Thursday in the country of Ob ama's late father, allowing celebrations to continue through the night and into a second day.Scenes of jubilation broke out in the western Kenya village of Kogelo, where many of Obama's Kenyan relatives still live. People sang, danced in the streets and wrapped th emselves in U.S. flags. A group of exuberant residents picked up the president-elect's half brother Malik and carried him through the village."Unbelievable!" Malik Obama shouted, "Obama's coming, make way!"Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president, said Obama gave the world the co urage to dream."Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare t o dream of wanting to change the world for a better place," Mandela said in a letter of congratulations.Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf —the first woman elected to head an African country —said she did not expect to see a black American president in her lifetime."All Africans now know that if you persevere, all things are possible," she said.In the New Nyanza provincial general hospital in Kisumu, the capital of the region whic h is home to Barack Obama's ancestral village, a woman gave birth to twins she name d Obama and Michelle.At least eight other boys were named Barack or Obama in this hospital alone while ma ternities in the capital Nairobi and across the entire country reported new namesakes fo r the future occupants of the White House.Indonesia, AsiaIn Indonesia, where Obama lived as child, hundreds of students at his former elementa ry school erupted in cheers when he was declared winner, pouring into the courtyard w here they hugged, danced in the rain and chanted "Obama! Obama!""I remember in the class book, all students were writing down their goals and wishes. Some said they wanted to be lawyers, soldiers, pilot and doctors, but he was the one who said he wanted to be president," said Dewi Asmara, a former classmate."We never understood what was on his mind that day."Obama's classmates said they were delighted with his win because they felt a special emotional connection with the Democrat who spent four years in Indonesia.Japan, AsiaThe town of Obama, Japan, celebrated the presidential victory of the US politician who shares the town's name with singing, dancing and chanting.Parties at the town's seafront museum featured revelers celebrating the victory of Demo cratic President-elect Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States, with celebratory singing, hula dancing and chants of "We love Obama," The Daily Telegrap h reported Wednesday."This all started as a bit of a joke. But as more and more people got involved, it beca me more serious," said Yasunori Maeno, secretary of the Obama for Obama campaign group. "Now there are many businesses involved in the Obama campaign and it will c ontinue now that he is president. This will change the future for us."The Obama for Obama group said more than 1,300 residents of the town of 33,000 pa rticipated in their campaign during the past four months.EuropeEurope, where Obama is overwhelmingly popular, is one region that looked eagerly to an Obama administration for a revival in warm relations after the Bush government's ch illy rift with the continent over the Iraq war."At a time when we have to confront immense challenges together, your election raises great hopes in France, in Europe and in the rest of the world," French President Nicol as Sarkozy said in a congratulations letter to Obama.Middle EastSkepticism, however, was high in the Muslim world. The Bush administration alienated t he Middle East by mistreating prisoners at its detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and inmates at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison —human rights violations also condemne d worldwide.Some Iraqis, who have suffered through five years of a war ignited by the United State s and its allies, said they would believe positive change when they saw it."Obama's victory will do nothing for the Iraqi issue nor for the Palestinian issue," said Muneer Jamal, a Baghdad resident. "I think all the promises Obama made during the c ampaign will remain mere promises."American celebritiesTalk-show host Oprah Winfrey wept tears of joy, Leonardo DiCaprio said he was proud to be an American and several hip-hop music stars said Sen. Barack Obama's electio n as the first black U.S. president fulfilled the dreams of America's youth."It feels like America did the right thing," Winfrey told CNN. "It feels like there's a shift in consciousness. It feels like something really big and bold has happened here, like n othing ever in our lifetimes did we expect this to happen."从欧洲到亚洲再到中东，世界各地的人们都发出了同样的感叹：美国扫除了几个世纪以来的种族屏障，选出了其历史上首位非洲裔总统。