US President Barack Obama speaks during the opening session of the Jobs and Economic Growth Forum. (Photo: AFP)
A statue of US President Barack Obama will be erected in his childhood neighborhood in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Thursday.
The statue will depict Obama as a ten-year-old child and will be unveiled by Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo.
The statue will be located at one corner of Taman Menteng and will be two meters tall and made of bronze.
The location was chosen because the neighborhood was Obama’s playground when he lived in Jakarta as a young boy in the 1970’s. Obama moved to Jakarta with his mother Ann Dunham and his Indonesian stepfather Lolo Soetoro. Ann and Lolo met at the University of Hawaii.
The statue was commissioned by the Friends of Obama foundation and was designed by Edi Chaniago. The project was funded by ten people, including businesswoman Mien R Uno and businessman Hashim Djojohadikusumo.
US Ambassador Cameron Hume will be present at the unveiling of the statue as well as students and teachers from Menteng 01 Elementary School, where Obama used to study.
Ron Mullers from Friends of Obama told the press that the statue was being erected to inspire Indonesian children and help them remember that they can be whatever they set their heart on.
JG
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