MONROVIA, Montserrado – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released the official activities calendar for the celebrations of Liberia’s 171st independence anniversary.
Releasing the information at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing on Thursday, Liberia’s chief of protocol, Jarvis Witherspoon, said this year’s Independence Day activities will kick off on Thursday evening, July 19 with the Golden Image Awards in Monrovia, to be hosted by the Liberian Crusaders for Peace at the Monrovia City Hall.
The Crusaders for Peace’s executive director, Julie Endee, told the news conference that this year’s event would be graced by President George Weah, while former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former Vice President Joseph Boakai would also be in attendance.
Endee said several international guests from around the world, including from Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Europe, the U.S., and China are expected to attend the event.
Witherspoon said there would be an intercessory prayer hosted at Coca-Cola Factory community’s central mosque the next morning. He said the day would end with a musical and cultural festival at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex.
“That is also being put together by the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism and the Liberia Crusaders for Peace,†he said.
According to him, the executive branch of the government would engage the legislature in football and kickball matches at the Samuel K. Doe Stadium in Paynesville around 11 a.m. and followed by another match of soccer display among former members of two of the country’s most storied football clubs, Barolle and Invincible Eleven. He said the match would take place after 6:00 p.m.
According to the chief of protocol, past players of the two teams would be in the country from the diaspora to participate in the friendly Independence Day soccer encounter. He disclosed that entry to the two games would be offered for free.
On Sunday, July 22 at 11:00 a.m., he said there will be another thanksgiving and intercessory service organized by the Liberia Council of Churches. He said the service would take place at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion on Ashmun Street in Central Monrovia.
“The guest speaker for that occasion is Archbishop Dr. Isaac S. Winker, general overseer and archbishop of the Dominion Fellowship,†he noted.
He disclosed that an international friendly soccer match between Liberia and Sierra Leone is also scheduled to take place on the evening of the same day at the SKD Stadium. He said further information surrounding the match would be released later.
On Monday, President George Weah is expected to dedicate government projects in Montserrado, including the newly constructed annexes of the Capitol Building and a new postal stand introduced by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.
“And then, at 4:00 p.m. will be the youth interactive dialogue at the Monrovia City Hall on Tubman Boulevard,†he said.
The Liberia Revenue Authority would also host a taxpayers appreciation event at 7:00 p.m. on the same day, which will be opened only to guests with official invitations. According to him, the event will be followed by the investiture ceremony on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. where the president would confer distinctions on citizens and distinguished personalities at the C. C. Dennis Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Every year, individuals are honored and are conferred upon them decorations of distinction, and the president will be doing so on that day for people who have served the government and people who have made very substantial contributions to the development of our country,†he said. A reception for the honorees is later scheduled to be hosted by the president.
Witherspoon also said there would be an event for children held in the theatre of the Monrovia City Hall at 12 noon on Wednesday, July 25, after which the president will pay visits to the elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged communities to distribute gifts.
On the evening of the same day, a short ceremony will be held before the Edward James Roye Building to light up the Independence Day candle.
“Liberians will gather where we will be celebrating and thanking God for yet another 26, and that’s going to be just before the day of the main event,†he added.
On Thursday, July 26, which marks the main day of the independence, the chief of protocol disclosed that events will kick off at 6:00 a.m. with the hoisting of the national flag. It will be followed by the arrival and reveal of troops by the president. The event will take place at the Barclay Training Center in Monrovia.
At 8:00 a.m. will be the honoring of the national colors, also at the BTC, followed by the official indoor ceremony at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion on Ashmun Street. Finance Minister Samuel Tweah will be the national orator.
Earlier, a committee set up to receive submissions and vet applications for this year’s Independence Day orator disclosed that the national orator would be selected by the public and vetted by independent and credible judges.
The committee was appointed by the president and was headed by Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee and assistant minister for the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Maminah Carr. Carr said application for the orator was restricted only to individuals between the ages of 15 and 35. Tweah, however, exceeds this age requirement. Information on the method of his selection has not also been released to the public.
Witherspoon said other activities for the day would also include Independence Day lunches hosted by the president simultaneously at the Monrovia City Hall, Paynesville City Hall, the Executive Memorial Pavilion, and the Brewerville Townhall. It will be followed by a ball at the Executive pavilion at 7:00 p.m. Most of these events will be restricted to individuals with invitations.
The president and the first lady, Clar Weah, will also hold interactive events with children of different communities in Montserrado. The event is being organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and begins at 12 noon on Friday, July 27 to close the Independence Day celebrations.
Witherspoon told the news conference that there would also be Independence Day ceremonies organized in other counties by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Liberia was founded as a home for freed slaves from America in 1822 and officially gained independence on July 26, 1847, becoming the first independent republic on the African continent. At that time, Ethiopia was the only other independent nation.
This year’s Independence Day celebration marks the first under Weah’s administration.
Featured photo by Erik Cleves Kristensen
