To everyone who voted for Obama, to every single person who worked to get him elected, to each and every one of you!
I spend the last week in Brussels with young people from all over Europe and words will never be enough to tell you how much this election meant to us. In one glorious moment the USA undid much of the damage caused by eight years of Bush and for the first time in so very long we're feeling hopeful and optimistic about the future.
The first week of November has been the European youth week for four years now. Every autumn representatives from national youth councils and outstanding volunteer projects organised by young people from all over Europe gather to discuss the future challenges we are facing and celebrate the diversity of this beautiful continent we are living on.
Representing your country is always something special, to have a say in Europe's youth policy is incredible and meeting so many interesting people from all over the continent is priceless. We were excited all week, but Tuesday evening was something else. There was a sense of expectation in the air, about one part giddy Christmas morning anticipation and one part oh my god what's happening I'm going to puke apprehension. To be honest we were terrified the American electorate was going to go for McCain...
We knew the outcome of the election at precisely half past four in the morning. I know, cause me and some friends were still awake typing up the conclusions of our debates. I don't think I'll ever forget that moment. We'd been working since eight in the evening and we were tired, cranky and just a bit frustrated. Until Ben walked into the room saying Fox news called it for Obama. There was a sense of disbelief at first, you know, the 'we can't possibly be this lucky'-syndrome. And then there was screaming and cheering, there were hugs and all girls (and some guys) started crying.
The next morning at the European parliament everybody who'd gone to sleep the night before was trying to find out how the elections ended, and more than one of us missed at least part of the proceedings because we were more interested in knowing the exact number of electoral votes Obama won.
And as we blocked out the (often vague and boring) speeches (4 out of 5 of whom mentioned Obama's victory as a changing point in history), and shared our hopes, dreams and joy with each other, as we lamented not living in America and being part of this grassroots movement that has so many of us in awe, the one thing that struck me was just how powerful a message Obama, and you, have send into the world. A message of hope, of unity, of change and of possibilities, a message we have all been waiting for.
I saw that message this week, I saw it when Ben stood up during the plenary meeting and demanded guarantees that our work would not be in vain, I saw it in the America student that told us he voted with tears in his eyes, and in the cheers that greeted his announcement and I saw it when our facilitators told us to be bold and wrote yes we can on the whiteboard.
You may not realise it right now, but the man you have elected president, someone we consider our president, is an inspiration, not just to America, but to the world.
And I want to thank you for supporting him, for standing by him, for recognising the promise that lies within him, a promise for a better world.
Thank you, on behalf of Florent, Ben, Lisa and Céline from France and Belgium, for giving us hope. For allowing us to believe that we can be your allies and partners once more.
Thank you for proving Marta, from Portugal, wrong, when she would not, could not believe that the USA would ever elect Obama.
Thank you for proving Xavi, from Spain, right, when he wrote that yes we can on his whiteboard.
Thank you for the smiles on all our faces when Johannes and Rose Marie, from Denmark, checked the final results on their laptop and screamed them through the room.
And thank you for making our day. Especially David's who travelled all the way from the UK to see Obama's acceptance speech in Denver. I have never in my life seen anyone look so happy.
Thank you on behalf of the roughly 200 young people from all over Europe that were united in Brussels last week.
For months now, we've been following your elections. we've shared your frustrations and your joys, and last Tuesday (actually Wednesday here) for the first time since 2001 we believed.
So thank you, for making us realise that YES, WE CAN!