NEW YORK, Feb 25: The Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said on Sunday that presidential candidate Barack Obama is the “hope of the entire world” that the United States will change for the better.

“This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better,” told an estimated crowd of 20,000 people in Chicago (Illinois) at the annual Saviours’ Day celebrations.

“This young man is capturing audiences of black and brown and red and yellow. If you look at Barack Obama’s audiences and look at the effect of his words, those people are being transformed.”

Farrakhan compared Obama to the Nation of Islam’s founder, Fard Muhammad, who also had a white mother and black father.

“A black man with a white mother became a saviour to us,” he told the crowd of mostly followers dressed in Nation of Islam attire.

“A black man with a white mother could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall.” Farrakhan also took swipes at Senator Hillary Clinton, Obama’s rival for the Democratic nomination.

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said: “Senator Obama has been clear in his objections to Minister Farrakhan’s past pronouncements and has not solicited the minister’s support.”