World News for Students of English

21-08-2015 07:00

Arriving in Havana today, US Secretary of State John Kerry became the first chief of American diplomacy to visit Cuba in 70 years. And this is why he was here. For the first time since 1961, the American flag was raised at Cuba’s US embassy, ushering in a new era in relations between the two cold-war enemies.

“My friends, we are gathered here today because our leaders, President Obama and President Castro, made a courageous decision to stop being the prisoners of history and to focus on the opportunities of today and tomorrow. This doesn’t mean that we should or will forget the past. How could we, after all?”

Three retired Marines who last lowered the flag 54 years ago participated in the ceremony at the newly re-opened embassy on the Havana seafront and on the streets of the city, locals and tourists celebrated the changing times.

Today’s events took place nearly four weeks after the United States and Cuba formally renewed diplomatic relations and upgraded their diplomatic missions to embassies.

Difficult words: chief (a leader), usher in (to cause the start of something new), era (a period of time) gather (to come together).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com