On 22 March 2016, US president Barack Obama made history.

He became the first US president to visit Cuba, Havana, since 1928.

He was also the first US president to visit since Fidel Castro took over in 1959.

Just to bring this into context: Cuba is only 100 miles from the US state of Florida.

To bring you up to speed very simply: Relations between The US and Cuba have been strained since at least 1960 (-ish).

It all started around 1961, when the Americans didn’t agree with the way the Cubans, led by Castro, had been taking over private land and companies without compensation (i.e. illegally). The Americans imposed sanctions, and closed off most (if not all) trade relations with Cuba. At this stage, Cuba turned to the Russians for friendship – which further angered the Americans.

Since then, the US and Cuba have never spoken. They have not had any relationship, and in fact it was a big deal when Barack Obama shook the Cuban leader’s hand at Nelson Mandela’s memorial ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa. At the time, the world speculated whether the handshake from Mr Obama would lead to US-Cuban relations being restored. Those that speculated along these lines were not wrong.

When Obama addressed the Cubans in Havana a few days ago, he opened his speech with the following words: “In his most famous poem, Jose Marti made this offering of friendship and peace to both his friend and his enemy.  Today, as the president of the United States of America, I offer the Cuban people el saludo de paz.”

The words “el saludo de paz” translate into “the greeting of peace”.

Since 1961, two nations only 100 miles from one another could not extend “the greeting of peace”.

It took one man – President Obama – to have the courage to go where no one else will, to change this for future generations to come.

But why is the mending of US-Cuba relations a big deal for any of us?

When Obama first announced he would be lifting some trade sanctions and would be commencing talks with Cuba, the world could not believe it. The US, extending the olive branch?

But in recent times this has taught me a massive lesson: sometimes strength is not displayed when we show our force and exert our dominance over others. Sometimes strength is shown when we are willing to build bridges.

What we don’t realise is that our inability to forgive/let go and extend the olive branch isn’t just about us, but generations to come.

Often we are holding the keys that other people need.

But we have to make the first move.

I believe – very strongly – that President Obama is the president we will all miss.

He is underrated.

In his time in office, one thing has been clear to me – strength isn’t the biggest dude in the room; strength looks like a handshake and a hug.

I wonder in what areas of our own personal lives we need to go where no one else will – to give generations to come a future they could never have obtained on their own…

Watch Obama’s historic address to the Cuban people below: