The new president of the United States, Joe Biden, and the vice president, Kamala Harris, led this Wednesday night the act of celebration that followed his inauguration, where the president gave a message of “unity” and “optimism” between several musical numbers, tributes and testimonies of workers.
Under the name of Celebrating America, the event began at 8:30 p.m. (local time) and was broadcast on various television channels and on the official Twitter and Facebook accounts of the Presidential Investiture Committee.
The event, which took place at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, opened with a presentation by Bruce Springsteen and continued with Bon Jovi, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Justin Timberlake, Black Pumas, Foo Fighters, Ozuna and Luis Fonsi, among others.
An impressive fireworks display to close Joe Biden’s inauguration as President of the United States. Reuters photo
Actor Tom Hanks was the host of the entire event, and the closing was in charge of Katy Perry, who sang an emotional version of her hit “Fireworks” while unfolding an impressive fireworks show that Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, witnessed from the balcony of the White House.
When taking the floor, the Democratic president greeted all the concert participants and said: “As I said before, we learned once again that democracy is precious, and for you democracy has prevailed. And that’s why I want this inauguration to be not for me, but for you, the American people. “
“This is a great nation, we are good people, and to overcome the challenges that lie ahead the most important thing in a democracy is required, unit. It requires us to come together, the common love that defines us as Americans. Opportunity, freedom, dignity and respect. And unite against common fears: hatred, violence and hopelessness, “he added.
Biden assured that “the history of the United States does not depend on one of us, nor on some, it depends on all of us. That is the task before us, the only way we will get out of the darkness that surrounds us.”
“There are moments in our history where more is asked of us as Americans. We saw that in the Civil War, we saw that with Martin Luther King dreaming from these stairs. This is one of those moments: the pandemic, economic crisis, racial injustice, climate crisis and threats against our democracy. And the question is: are we up to the task? I think we should do it and I think we are going to do it, “he said.
And to close his speech, he said: “You are the reason why I have never been more optimistic about our country than on this day. There is nothing we cannot do if we do it together. “
“An America made of decency and dignity, of love, greatness and goodness. This is the story that guides us and should inspire us. Thank you for this honor, I’m going to give everything I have for you. May God bless the United States and may God protect our troops, “he concluded.
Biden also paid a heartfelt tribute to the victims of the coronavirus in the United States, saying: “To heal, we have to remember. It is important to do that as a nation.”
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