TO witness a page of history being written before our eyes is always a profound experience, whether it be the chronicling of a tragic or a joyful event.

The overwhelming reactions to the election of Barack Obama to the office of President of the United States have been feelings of hope and inspiration, both among his supporters in America and in much of the outside world.

It is not just the fact that a man with black skin has attained the highest office in a land so bloodstained by the forces of white supremacy as recently as only three decades ago.

It is also that Obama is a truly inspirational and charismatic human being. Only time will tell if he is little more than a gifted orator or if he really can become the great statesman and legislator that the western world needs so desperately at this time.

The man's eloquence and personality have already accorded him a stature that has drawn comparisons with proven men of greatness.

This will lead to a feelgood factor in America which will hold until he is put to the test by unforeseen events.

President-elect Obama carries a heavy burden. Because of the brilliance he has shown in waging his election campaign and in the hope he has created for a better world he will be expected to deliver, as any president would.

He also carries the hopes of all black people, even though he never sought to make his colour an issue.

The fact is that he is a symbol of hope for black men and women throughout the world and his achievements must surely help to lessen or remove prejudice wherever it exists.

For all this humanity will judge Obama on the outcomes in Iraq and Afghanistan, the quest for a more peaceful world, better protection of the environment and solutions to the economic troubles that beset us all.

In these matters the work of the American president impacts on all of our lives and we can only hope that the promise and the hopes of November 4 2008 are fulfilled in the months and years ahead.