Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is pictured with his mother Ann (C), his half-sister Maya Soetoro, and his stepfather Lolo Soetoro (L) in an undated childhood photo taken in Jakarta, Indonesia. Obama lived and attended local schools in Jakarta from ages 6 to 10. (UPI Photo/Obama Press Office) |
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JAKARTA, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Tuesday accepted a medal on behalf of his mother from the Indonesian president and toasted U.S. ties with the Asian nation.
"A few years ago, there was an American woman who loved Indonesia and conducted research on the issue of the role of women and the empowerment of the economy," Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said at a state dinner at the Istana Merdeka Palace. "That researcher is no longer with us, but her dedication and compassion continue to live in on in Indonesia. That woman is Stanley Ann Durham. The government of Indonesia has decided to honor Madame Stanley for her dedication and I as president of Indonesia I have the honor to grant this medal of honor to her son on her behalf and to my close friend, Mr. Barack Obama," Yudhoyono said.
"The fact, Mr. President, that you would choose to recognize my mother in this way speaks to the bonds that she forged over many years with the people of this magnificent country," Obama said in accepting the honor.
"She believed that we all share common aspirations -- to live in dignity and security, to get an education, to provide for our families, to give our children a better future, to leave the world better than we found it. … That's the lesson that she passed on to me and that's the lesson that Michelle and I try to pass on to our daughters. …
"Our two countries have far more in common than most people realize. We are two peoples who broke free from colonial rule. We are both two vast nations that stretch thousands of miles. We are both two societies that find strength in our diversity. And we are two democracies where power resides in the people. And so it's only natural that we should be partners in the world. …
"I am fortunate to have a very strong partner in President Yudhoyono -- Indonesia's first directly elected president, and a leader who has guided this nation through its journey into democracy," Obama said. "As we go forward, I'm reminded of a proverb: 'Like bamboo and the river bank, we rely on each other.'"
Obama ended his remarks by proposing a toast: "No nation is an island, not even when you're made up of thousands of islands. We all rely on each other together, like bamboo and the river bank."
