Three former presidents, big names of music, such as Bruce Springsteen and Bono, but also art people attended the ceremony to open the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
Former president and his wife, Michelle, and their daughters Sasha and Malia They had Joe Biden and his wife Jill on their side. Behind them were Bill and Hillary Clinton, while George Bush with his wife Laura, as were former vice president Kamala Harris.
THE Tom Hanks and If Hathaway, o Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas. was among the celebrities invited to the event.
Donald Trump, who had succeeded Obama after the 2016 election, not invited, but he was "welcome to present himself" in the future to tour the Centre's premises.
Meanwhile from the music event large musicians marched, supporters of the Democratic Party: THE Bruce Springsteen, the Stevie Wonder., Christina Aguilera, the Jennifer Hudson, the Bono and Edge U2, o Eddie Wender. Peral Jam and others.
From tomorrow it will be open to the public while starting a three-day event with live performances, meetings with sports teams and other activities.
See the ceremony:
In governance control and balance systems (checks and budgets), which ensure the accountability of the leaders chose Obama to report in his speech, stressing that "no one lies above the law nor under his protection".
It was mentioned in the 250 years since the founding of the US (on July 4) and that there would be no "kings, no rulers, no serfs, no subjects, but only citizens, each of us free to seek his own version of happiness.".
He still had enough. references to democracy, its values and how it is built, which seems like an indirect reference to the Trump presidency:
"The belief in balance in our government, the accountability that accompanies an independent judiciary and a strong and free press, the belief that armed forces and law enforcement authorities owe no obedience to any president or political party, but to our people and Constitution, the belief in peaceful transfer of power after the people have expressed themselves in fair and free elections," he said.
And he sent the message that "it is tempting to succumb to cynicism and even despair, so that we stop trying.".
"When we lose confidence in each other, when we stop believing that the vote matters, that citizenship matters, that our collective voices matter, that the way we treat one another no longer matters," he said and clarified that then "we open the door to the most ruthless, or the most indifferent, or to the most feared among us, who consider certain groups and certain people more equal than others, and see the government as nothing more than a means to share the spoils, punish enemies and keep those who are different in their place. I don't believe this is the history of America that will eventually prevail.".
In her intervention Michelle Obama praised her husband for his work and legacy as president, causing enthusiastic applause.
"You told me so many years ago that you couldn't promise me the world, but you could promise me an interesting life, and of course you got over yourself and managed to give me both," she said in her speech.
In his term "you didn't melt once", he said and added that "you used it to reveal your truest essence, your persistent optimism and your unwavering courage, your dazzling intelligence and your unpretentious dignity, your wild work ethic and your absolutely unwavering moral strength.".
She even provoked a warm applause from the public when she referred to her husband's Nobel Peace Prize, with which she was awarded in 2009.
"You worked for the people. You rescued our economy, expanded health care, ended a war, ordered the raid on bin Laden, saved the car industry, won a peace prize," he said while the public cheered.