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Flag-raising ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba
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John Kerry watches
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Secretary of State John Kerry, and other dignitaries watch as U.S. Marines raise the U.S. flag over the newly reopened embassy in Havana, Cuba. Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. Kerry traveled to the Cuban capital to raise the U.S. flag and formally reopen the long-closed U.S. Embassy. Cuba and U.S. officially restored diplomatic relations July 20, as part of efforts to normalize ties between the former Cold War foes. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool/AP)
Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool/AP
John Kerry watches the flag
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Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and other dignitaries watch the raising of the U.S. flag over the newly reopened embassy in Havana, Cuba. Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. Kerry traveled to the Cuban capital to raise the U.S. flag and formally reopen the long-closed U.S. Embassy. Cuba and U.S. officially restored diplomatic relations July 20, as part of efforts to normalize ties between the former Cold War foes. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool/AP)
Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool/AP
Marines raise the U.S. flag
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U.S. Marines raise the U.S. flag over the newly reopened embassy in Havana, Cuba. Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to the Cuban capital to raise the U.S. flag and formally reopen the long-closed U.S. Embassy. Cuba and U.S. officially restored diplomatic relations July 20, as part of efforts to normalize ties between the former Cold War foes. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool/AP)
Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool/AP
John Kerry prepares to speech
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry prepares to deliver a speech prior to the raising of the flag during a ceremony at the newly opened U.S. Embassy, in Havana, Cuba, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. (Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP)
Ramon Espinosa/AP
John Kerry greets the three Marines
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry greets the three Marines who lowered the flag at the U.S. Embassy's closing in 1961, and who have returned to raise the Stars and Stripes again, in a flag raising ceremony at the newly opened embassy, in Havana, Cuba, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. (Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP)
Ramon Espinosa/AP
John Kerry walks upon his arrival
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US Secretary of State John Kerry (C) walks next to the Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Havana Jeffrey DeLaurentis (2ndL) upon his arrival at Jose Marti international airport in Havana on August 14, 2015 (Photo: Adalberto Roque/AFP)
Adalberto Roque/AFP
The empty podium
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A podium with a representation of the The Great Seal of the United States, sits in the staging area before the start of a flag raising ceremony outside the newly opened U.S. Embassy, overlooking Havana's seaside boulevard, the Malecon, in Cuba, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. Kerry arrived in Havana, Friday, for an historic ceremony to raise the U.S. flag over a restored U.S. Embassy in the Cuban capital. (Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP)
Ramon Espinosa/AP
John Kerry arrives
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Secretary of State John Kerry arrives at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba, August 14, 2015. Kerry arrived in Cuba on Friday to raise the U.S. flag at the recently restored American Embassy in Havana, another symbolic step in improved relations between the two Cold War-era foes. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool/Reuters)
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool/Reuters
A man holds a U.S. flag
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A man holds a U.S. flag while gathering with others on a sidewalk near the U.S. embassy (not pictured) in Havana, Cuba, August 14, 2015. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Cuba on Friday to raise the U.S. flag at the recently restored American Embassy in Havana, another symbolic step in improved relations between the two Cold War-era foes. The ceremony, raising the flag over the building for the first time in 54 years, will come nearly four weeks after the United States and Cuba formally renewed diplomatic relations and upgraded their diplomatic missions to embassies. (Photo: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)
Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
Paper fans with the American flag motif sit on chairs
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Paper fans with the American flag motif sit on chairs designated for U.S. dignitaries, including Secretary of State John Kerry, outside the newly opened U.S. Embassy in Havana, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. Kerry arrived in Havana Friday for a historic ceremony to raise the U.S. flag over a restored U.S. Embassy in the Cuban capital. It’s the first time a U.S. secretary of state has visited the nearby nation since 1945. (Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP)
Ramon Espinosa/AP
A woman holds a U.S. flag
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A woman holds a U.S. flag while standing with others on a sidewalk near the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba, August 14, 2015. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Cuba on Friday to raise the U.S. flag at the recently restored American Embassy in Havana, another symbolic step in improved relations between the two Cold War-era foes. The ceremony, raising the flag over the building for the first time in 54 years, will come nearly four weeks after the United States and Cuba formally renewed diplomatic relations and upgraded their diplomatic missions to embassies. (Photo: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)
Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
Cuban residents look out of their window
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Cuban residents living next to the U.S. embassy look out of their window decorated with the Cuban and U.S. flags in Havana, Cuba, August 14, 2015. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry travels to Cuba on Friday to raise the U.S. flag at the recently restored American embassy in Havana, another symbolic step in the thawing of relations between the two Cold War-era foes. (Photo: Enrique De La Osa/Reuters)
Enrique De La Osa/Reuters
People gather at the main entrance of the U.S. embassy
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People gather at the main entrance of the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba, August 14, 2015. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Cuba on Friday to raise the U.S. flag at the recently restored American Embassy in Havana, another symbolic step in improved relations between the two Cold War-era foes. The ceremony, raising the flag over the building for the first time in 54 years, will come nearly four weeks after the United States and Cuba formally renewed diplomatic relations and upgraded their diplomatic missions to embassies. (Photo: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)
Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
View of the podium
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View of the podium where US Secretary of State John Kerry will speak during preparations ahead of the re-opening of the US Embassy, in Havana, Cuba, 13 August 2015. The US flag is set to wave again starting on 14 August. US Secretary of State John Kerry is set to visit Havana on 14 August a final milestone in the path of diplomatic rapprochement with Cuba, though many steps remain to overcome political and economic rifts between the two neighbours. (ALEJANDRO ERNESTO/EPA)
ALEJANDRO ERNESTO/EPA
A worker wipes a representation of the The Great Seal of the United States
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A worker wipes a representation of the The Great Seal of the United States at the the newly opened U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived Friday morning in Havana for an historic ceremony to raise the U.S. flag over the restored U.S. Embassy in the Cuban capital. (Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP)
Ramon Espinosa/AP
John Kerry leaves for Havana
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry boards his aircraft from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., for a flight to Havana, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. Kerry is traveling to the Cuban capital to raise the U.S. flag and formally reopen the long-closed U.S. Embassy. Cuba and the U.S. officially restored diplomatic relations on July 20 as part of efforts to normalize ties between the former Cold War foes. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool/AP)
Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Pool/AP
Workers place the name “Embassy of the United States of America”
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Workers place the name “Embassy of the United States of America” above the main entrance of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, August 14, 2015. Secretary of State John Kerry travels to Cuba on Friday to raise the U.S. flag at the recently restored embassy, another symbolic step in the thawing of relations between the two Cold War-era foes. (Photo: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)
Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
Workers carry the seal
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Workers carry the seal of the United States of America before placing it on the wall at the main entrance of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, August 14, 2015. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry travels to Cuba on Friday to raise the U.S. flag at the recently restored embassy, another symbolic step in the thawing of relations between the two Cold War-era foes. (Photo: Enrique de la Osa/Reuters)
Enrique de la Osa/Reuters
People wave U.S. flags outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana
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People sit with U.S. flags outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana, August 14, 2015. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry travels to Cuba on Friday to raise the U.S. flag at the recently restored American Embassy in Havana, another symbolic step in the thawing of relations between the two Cold War-era foes. (Photo: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)
Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
A security officer stands outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana
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A security officer stands outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana, July 27, 2015. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will walk inside its iron fence on Friday and raise a U.S. flag to mark the restoration of diplomatic ties after five decades of Cold War hostility. (Photo: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)
Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
Tourists ride by the U.S. Embassy
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Tourists ride in a vintage American car in front of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015. The U.S. Embassy in Cuba will hold a ceremony on Friday, Aug. 14, to raise the U.S. flag, marking its reopening on Havana’s historic waterfront. Ordinary Cubans will cheer, U.S. business executives will network and Secretary of State John Kerry will meet with Cuba’s foreign minister, the country’s Roman Catholic archbishop and a handpicked group of dissidents. (Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP)
Ramon Espinosa/AP
Workers cover the podium with the seal
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Workers cover the podium outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana with the seal of the United States of America, August 13, 2015. On Friday, Secretary of State John Kerry formally redesignated the U.S. Interests Section as the U.S. Embassy in Havana. (Photo: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)
lexandre Meneghini/Reuters
Television satellite trucks set up
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Television satellite trucks set up outside the U.S. Embassy ahead of Friday’s flag-raising ceremony in Havana. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visits to raise the American flag at the reopened U.S. Embassy, a symbolic act after the two former Cold War enemies reestablished diplomatic relations in July. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
A portrait of Fidel Castro stands in the doorway of a museum
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A painting of former Cuban President Fidel Castro stands in the doorway of a museum in the old part of Havana. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visits Havana Friday to raise the American flag at the reopened U.S. Embassy, a symbolic act after the two former Cold War enemies reestablished diplomatic relations in July. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
U.S. Embassy along the famous Malecón seaside avenue
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The newly reopened U.S. Embassy stands along the famous Malecón seaside avenue in Havana. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visits Havana Friday to raise the American flag at the reopened U.S. Embassy, a symbolic act after the two former Cold War enemies reestablished diplomatic relations in July. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesU.S. Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Cuba Friday to oversee the raising of the the American flag outside the newly reopened U.S. Embassy in Havana, a symbolic capstone to Washington’s historic rapprochement with Havana.
The Stars and Stripes has not flown over the glass-and-concrete building on the Havana waterfront since January 3, 1961, the day the United States severed ties with Cuba at the height of the Cold War.
The flag-raising ceremony is the culmination of an agreement announced on December 17, 2014, by President Obama and his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro, which paved the way for the two countries to reopen their respective embassies. Cuba raised the flag at its embassy in Washington, D.C., on July 20. (AP)
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