America
Obama announces three new national monuments in US
Washington, Feb 20
President Barack
Obama has announced three new national monuments, in Chicago, as also in
Colorado and Hawaii, along with an initiative to make national parks
free for children.
The president made the announcement in the
historic Pullman neighbourhood of Chicago known for its industrial
conflict and civil rights progress, which was converted Thursday into
the first national monument of the city where Obama began his political
career.
The ceremony took place in the Gwendolyn Brooks College
Preparatory Academy, the original headquarters of one of the best
technical secondary school in the country, financed by George Pullman,
founder of a railway passenger car company and around which he created a
neighbourhood.
The neighbourhood was also the birthplace of the
first African-American labor union in the country and as pointed out by
Obama, also the headquarters from where he began his work as a community
leader, his stepping stone into politics.
Obama said that places like Pullman prove that great things could be achieved by working together as a team.
Before
leaving for Chicago, Obama designated Browns Canyon in Colorado as
another national monument in a decree signed at the Oval Office.
Browns Canyon is a popular destination for nature lovers, especially for rafting.
Also
designated as a national park was the Honouliuli Internment Camp in
Hawaii which was the largest prison facility during World War II and
held 400 civilians and 4,000 prisoners of war.
Obama launched the
programme 'Every Kid in a Park' to promote access to free spaces for
children with the National Park Service's 100th anniversary approaching
in 2016.
The initiative will grant fourth graders and their
families free entry to any of the national parks and other attractions
under national park service control act for the 2015-2016 school year.