Rwanda Celebrates Independence Day, July 1st
As Rwanda celebrates its Independence, WAELE AFRICA Foundation extends warmest congratulations to the government and people of the Republic of Rwanda on their Independence Day. We wish them continued happiness, success, and prosperity.
Rwanda celebrates its independence from Belgium, achieved on July 1st, 1962. While this is a public holiday and marks the nation's independence, official celebrations are less prominent than those held on Liberation Day (marking the end of the 1994 genocide).
A Brief History of Rwandan Independence:
Rwanda's journey to independence is complex. Becoming part of German East Africa in 1884, it was later placed under Belgian control after World War I (1919). As Ruanda-Urundi (Rwanda and Burundi), it became a Belgian League of Nations mandate territory. Rising tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups culminated in the 1959 Rwandan Revolution. This led to the abolishment of the Tutsi monarchy in 1961, followed by Hutu-dominated elections and the declaration of an autonomous republic. Finally, on July 1st, 1962, Rwanda gained full independence. The legacy of this period, however, is shadowed by the continuing ethnic tensions that tragically erupted in the 1994 genocide. While Independence Day commemorates the nation's sovereignty, Liberation Day holds greater significance for many Rwandans as a celebration of overcoming the genocide.
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