Postcard to the President from all over the world
What I like about these videos is that ordinary people speak, and they make it very clear what they expect to be upheld; promises. Another thing I like is that we get to see their city and get a taste of 'their life', as opposed some detached report that you read and you cannot 'imagine' how other people live and think.
From Australia
From London England
From Tel Aviv, Israel
From Gaza, The Occupied Territories
(Palestinian residents of Gaza ask U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama to work for peace, and to improve the situation in Gaza.
1. (Arabic) ABDEL-HAMID FAYYAD, 72-YEAR-OLD GAZA RESIDENT, SAYING: "By the name of the Palestinian nation, I ask Obama to find a just solution for the Palestinian cause. I hope that he will be better than the ones before."
2. (English) 49-YEAR-OLD GAZA RESIDENT, ADAM HAMDAN, SAYING: "The most important thing politically, how can Obama push the wheel of the peace, not only the negotiations but the triggers on the ground?"
3. (Arabic) 50-YEARS-OLD GAZA RESIDENT, MOHAMMED ABU AWDA, SAYING: "(Obama), We hope that he will help us to find a solution for the Palestinian case, and to end the siege because we are really suffering, I hope he will find a solution for the Palestinian case and everybody will live in peace.")
From Moscow, Russia
(Russians hope for warmer, freindlier relations between Russia and the U.S, and for a just international policy under Obama:
1. (English) ALEXANDER FYODOROV, ENGINEER FROM MOSCOW, SAYING:
"Mr.Barack Obama, Mr President, I would like to congratulate you with your victory, I hope that you will be strong enough and powerful enough to provide reforms you've planned, I hope that you will develop peaceful and friendly relations between our two countries."
2. (Russian) ANDREI KAZAKOV, MOSCOVITE, SAYING:" I have the only message for him to rule his country in a just way and to conduct a foreign policy in a just way, because it is very important to treat all the worlds' countries objectively, friendly and with respect."
3. (Russian) ELENA, STUDENT FROM MOSCOW, SAYING:"US policy, no matter wether Republicans Or Democrats are in charge, has been the same for a long time, for the past 100 years. So I wish to Bararck Obama to love Russia and do not treat it just as a consumer market.")
From Baghdad, Iraq
(On the streets of Baghdad a call for his withdrawl of U.S. troops:
1. (English) BAQEE NAQED, JOURNALIST, SAYING : "I as an Iraqi, I am asking Obama to keep his promise about
withdrawing the U.S. security forces here from our land and we want friendly
ties with Iraq people and government. We do not need an occupation here, we
need people to help us to improve security situation and services."
2. (Arabic) MOHAMMED AL-SHABIKY CITIZEN, SAYING: "We hope from Obama to hold talks with neighbouring countries and
represent new U.S. policy in Middle East and more specifically in
Iraq."
3. (Arabic) FADHIL AL-SHAMREE, BANKER, SAYING: "We call upon Mr. president Obama to hold good relations with Iraq
and pullout U.S. and multi-national forces from iraq as soon as
possible.". President-elect Barak Obama.)
From Tehran, Iran
From Havana, Cuba
(Among the reaction, Cubans said Obama's campaign vow to ease the 46-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba and his willingness to consider dialogue with the Cuban government were a breath of fresh air after almost eight years of tough talk and hard-line policies from the Bush adminstration.
1. (English) TAMARIT SAYING: "Obama, you are the hope for millions of people so things improve throughout the world. The war should end and relations between Cuba and the United States, maybe, should improve in the future. We hope for that."
2. (Spanish) 18-YEAR OLD HOSPITALITY STUDENT YAIMA TORRES SAYING: "I hope there is an improvement for Cuba, for the world; may our presidents unite to help the world progress. I am also hoping for an end to the war, that the money and economy of the United States be for the people and not to send bombs to Iraq or Afghanistan as they have been doing."
3. (Spanish) 31-YEAR-OLD MILITARY DOCTOR JOBEDIS MATINES SAYING: "My message to the new president would be to end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and to end the blockade that the United States has in place against Cuba which impedes us to further develop as a free country."
4. (Spanish) 24-YEAR-OLD MEDICAL STUDENT REGINO FERRER SAYING: "The message I have for the new United States president is to eliminate the injustices that are being committed around the world, he has the power to do it, he (Obama) can do it.")
From Australia
From London England
From Tel Aviv, Israel
From Gaza, The Occupied Territories
(Palestinian residents of Gaza ask U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama to work for peace, and to improve the situation in Gaza.
1. (Arabic) ABDEL-HAMID FAYYAD, 72-YEAR-OLD GAZA RESIDENT, SAYING: "By the name of the Palestinian nation, I ask Obama to find a just solution for the Palestinian cause. I hope that he will be better than the ones before."
2. (English) 49-YEAR-OLD GAZA RESIDENT, ADAM HAMDAN, SAYING: "The most important thing politically, how can Obama push the wheel of the peace, not only the negotiations but the triggers on the ground?"
3. (Arabic) 50-YEARS-OLD GAZA RESIDENT, MOHAMMED ABU AWDA, SAYING: "(Obama), We hope that he will help us to find a solution for the Palestinian case, and to end the siege because we are really suffering, I hope he will find a solution for the Palestinian case and everybody will live in peace.")
From Moscow, Russia
(Russians hope for warmer, freindlier relations between Russia and the U.S, and for a just international policy under Obama:
1. (English) ALEXANDER FYODOROV, ENGINEER FROM MOSCOW, SAYING:
"Mr.Barack Obama, Mr President, I would like to congratulate you with your victory, I hope that you will be strong enough and powerful enough to provide reforms you've planned, I hope that you will develop peaceful and friendly relations between our two countries."
2. (Russian) ANDREI KAZAKOV, MOSCOVITE, SAYING:" I have the only message for him to rule his country in a just way and to conduct a foreign policy in a just way, because it is very important to treat all the worlds' countries objectively, friendly and with respect."
3. (Russian) ELENA, STUDENT FROM MOSCOW, SAYING:"US policy, no matter wether Republicans Or Democrats are in charge, has been the same for a long time, for the past 100 years. So I wish to Bararck Obama to love Russia and do not treat it just as a consumer market.")
From Baghdad, Iraq
(On the streets of Baghdad a call for his withdrawl of U.S. troops:
1. (English) BAQEE NAQED, JOURNALIST, SAYING : "I as an Iraqi, I am asking Obama to keep his promise about
withdrawing the U.S. security forces here from our land and we want friendly
ties with Iraq people and government. We do not need an occupation here, we
need people to help us to improve security situation and services."
2. (Arabic) MOHAMMED AL-SHABIKY CITIZEN, SAYING: "We hope from Obama to hold talks with neighbouring countries and
represent new U.S. policy in Middle East and more specifically in
Iraq."
3. (Arabic) FADHIL AL-SHAMREE, BANKER, SAYING: "We call upon Mr. president Obama to hold good relations with Iraq
and pullout U.S. and multi-national forces from iraq as soon as
possible.". President-elect Barak Obama.)
From Tehran, Iran
From Havana, Cuba
(Among the reaction, Cubans said Obama's campaign vow to ease the 46-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba and his willingness to consider dialogue with the Cuban government were a breath of fresh air after almost eight years of tough talk and hard-line policies from the Bush adminstration.
1. (English) TAMARIT SAYING: "Obama, you are the hope for millions of people so things improve throughout the world. The war should end and relations between Cuba and the United States, maybe, should improve in the future. We hope for that."
2. (Spanish) 18-YEAR OLD HOSPITALITY STUDENT YAIMA TORRES SAYING: "I hope there is an improvement for Cuba, for the world; may our presidents unite to help the world progress. I am also hoping for an end to the war, that the money and economy of the United States be for the people and not to send bombs to Iraq or Afghanistan as they have been doing."
3. (Spanish) 31-YEAR-OLD MILITARY DOCTOR JOBEDIS MATINES SAYING: "My message to the new president would be to end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and to end the blockade that the United States has in place against Cuba which impedes us to further develop as a free country."
4. (Spanish) 24-YEAR-OLD MEDICAL STUDENT REGINO FERRER SAYING: "The message I have for the new United States president is to eliminate the injustices that are being committed around the world, he has the power to do it, he (Obama) can do it.")
Labels: the next president of the US, video postcards to Obama, world reactions
posted by Ingrid at
12:00 PM
5 Comments:
I just love this post. In the US we just get such limited international coverage in our news media. Thank goodness that the internet allows us to hear from our brothers and sisters around the world. Thanks for gathering this together for us, Ingrid.
These "post cards" were great, thanks Ingrid! The hopes and dreams of so many were riding on this election, played out on the world stage (though apparently not fit for american consumption except through blog posts like yours).
ps, I'm always taken aback by how beautiful Tehran is & cannot believe the callousness with which certain warhawks talk about eradicating it. Surely we can find a way to work with the people of such a beautiful place.
this is so beautiful...and so poignant...I am going to sit and watch the Postcards, I have only watched part of them- so I will be back later tonight....
I need to go find some food....( meals and sleep are soooo out of whack...)
Dearest friend...thank you for being here and a part of all this...
Hi Ingrid …..Congratulations to you, all the hard working insightful political bloggers and to the peoples of the USA !!.
The postcards gave a wonderful remarkable representations of ordinarily folk’s views; all echoing the same hopeful optimism for a better future.
There really was only one poll in the world that allowed any doubt, the one in the USA, since the rest of the world was decidedly lopp sided towards Obama.....
It is indeed a good time to become a citizen and put down your roots !!
I am sure you contributed very well within your own field of interest and influence, along with all of the other bloggers. . ... my best wishes
BE..hey who would've thought I'd actually 'scrounge up' something original and not 'nabbed' (I mean, borrowed , yes that's it [s]) from another blog. I forgot to mention that there is quite some reality based questions in some of these postcards..and some cynicism but what can you expect? That's not a legacy of just Bush, but American foreign policy of the last 50 plus years..alas..
DK..I was thinking exactly the same thing. Here you are, seeing the people in their own, daily environment doing what we, over here do every day; go to work and just taking care of our families. It's so easy to demonize when you haven't seen a bloody thing of the world I tell you..I sure hope that I'll get to take my kids to other countries on different continents.. America(ans) are literally too disconnected with the rest of the worlds' experiences.. thank God for the internet!
E..lots to read all over the blogosphere no doubt! I figured some humour vid or postcard vid here and there alleviates all that reading. The internet has been super busy in the last couple of days (hey, I even had about a 100hits ha! of course, one time visitors doing their google search.. that's me with all my writing and posting; ms google searched! [g])
Lindsay, thank you for your kind words. As you saw over as Susan's, with her 'Onion' clip, Obama is going to have a heck of a job to do but the important sentiment out of all of this is ownership. Ownership of their political and social and cultural environment so that it does not become about being an 'Obama' follower/supporter, but an active participant in the process. I hope with all that extraordinary energy that was harnassed, that it will continue in the following years. Now we need to stick with it to make the changes and/or work on bipartisan levels locally and state wide. The Republican elite and perhaps the Democratic elite might not like it, but nothing will happen unless the people want it..here's hoping..still..
Ingrid
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