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Independence Day
Greetings to everyone. Today is the 207th
anniversary of Haiti’s Independence. It is also the first day of the New Year, and the
last day of Kwanzaa : Imani/ Faith. For
many, it is a joyous day, spent visiting
with friends and family, and gathering
to share “soup joumou” (pumpkin soup) and
“zetrenn” –the first gifts of the New Year.
207 years ago, Haiti
brought wondrous gifts to the world. Today, many people take these gifts for granted, expecting
our human rights to be respected, our African heritage to be celebrated, and our
productive labor to be compensated. In much of the world, these were not givens
before 1804.
As you gather with
loved ones today to share the first fruits and the first gifts of the New Year,
I hope you will remember the sacrifice from a nation which 207 years ago began to
shatter the yoke of slavery to bring us the gifts of liberty.
Today, January 1, 2011, Haitian people are again struggling to taste
the fruits of their own victory. Let us
hope that in the coming years, the gifts will be shared by all as we build a
more prosperous Haiti.
Happy Haitian
Independence Day! Happy
Kwanzaa! Happy
New Year!
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