AMERICA DREAM IS THE ZAMBIAN DREAM – GONZALEZ

By NATION REPORTER 

THE United States of America has extolled President Hakainde Hichilema as a leader on the global stage whose resilience and audacity of hope to succeed had propelled him to become the seventh head of State for Zambia.

Michael Gonzalez, the US Ambassador to Zambia says the American dream which is the ethos, the belief and faith was as alive in the USA as it was in Zambia under President Hichilema.

“But, the American dream is not unique to America.  The American dream is alive and well here (Zambia).  The America dream is the Zambian dream.  And it has happened right here, too.  It happened when a community believed in a barefoot boy tending his cattle and encouraged and supported him.  Through the support of those around him, that boy became a successful businessman, the President of the republic, and a leader on the global stage,” Mr Gonzalez said.  

He said too often, when people thought of development and success, they often thought of the big cities and famous people.

“But, I want everyone to think about how not that long ago – only 50-some years – a young boy looking after his cattle around here had a dream.  He had what President Obama calls “the audacity of hope” to envision something better for himself and for his family.  He worked hard, studied hard, focused, and he was determined,” Mr Gonzalez said of President Hichilema.  

He however stated that President Hichilema did not achieve what he did alone and that he was able to succeed because those around him including many Zambians believed in him.  

Mr Gonzalez said Zambians supported President Hichilema during his journey to success, disclosing that the head of State had told him (Gonzales) several times about how it was only because he had received support to go to school.

“In my country, we have a term for that.  We call it “the American Dream.”  The American Dream is an ethos, a belief, a faith that we can become anything we set our mind to become.  We believe it because, time and again, we have seen it become a reality.  We have seen the kid tinkering with electronics at home only to invent the computer and become Bill Gates – the richest man in the world,” Mr Gonzalez said.

He said Americans had seen a mixed-race boy with a funny name in Hawaii become President Barack Obama.  

“While I am inspired by President Hichilema’s story and I am honored to call him a personal friend, I know that at its core that success is the result of this community!  That story is your story!  That success is your success!  And, perhaps most importantly, that success can happen again and again,” he said.

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