In Arcahaie, the city of Flag, the day began with the traditional Te Deum in Saint-Pierre church, which has in ts head Rev. Father Julien Estiverne, at the at the end of the latter the President laid a wreath of flowers at the monument of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, on the Place d'Armes called the Flag Square. Then the President headed to the Municipal Palace for his speech for the occasion, a little before noon he arrived in the square, before taking a seat on the official forum, on which were present members of the government, parliament, of the judicial power, of the university and the diplomatic corps... Before the speech was held shows and parades prepared by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, unlike usual.

"[...] May 18 always brings a unique opportunity to come together into a single force in the fervor to celebrate both our flag and the university. This combination between our two-color which represents our nation, our land, our state and the university, responsible for training, nursery responsible to train a conscious and responsible youth is highly symbolic.

Together this flag invites us all Haitian and Haitian to maintain the values ​​that made of it a symbol of fruitful unity and work towards the realization of a national future at the height of the dream of our knight.

Dream of a free nation, independent and prosperous, dream a strong nation, united and respected.

Undoubtedly, we proudly wore our national colors in the sky of success and renowned in other places and occasions.

But we did not have prevented 210 years after its creation that it still floats to the flag of a State in constant struggle against poverty, illiteracy, impunity and insecurity.

Too many historical rendezvous have been missed too many dashed hopes, too many youth and wasted futures.

Making sense of this double celebration today is working to replace this great nation to its original trajectory of Free State, where the Haitian can live in master, and sovereignly decide its future.

It is also a day to transform the traditional State in a State of service that invested in education, agricultural recovery, infrastructure, health care, security, rehabilitation of our environment and reconstruction.

This is to increase and improve the academic offer to raise the technical and intellectual skills of our young people at the height of the challenges of time and create a learning, innovative society [...] oriented towards work, wealth creation and sustainable development [...]

My dear compatriots, it is the moment for us to add to our list of history of two-tone other exploits, new victories.

In these moments of wandering the best expression of our respect for the flag can only be translated by the contribution of each to create a climate of social and political calm in order to engage the country in the new routes from which will be mastered the problems that beset us.

I know that intellectual performance, economic, social and political of our society depends on the quality of our people, their commitment, their collective expertise and the strength of the project that unites them, so we need to train many men and many women, because for a strong country we need a strong university, that's why I mobilize so much energy to make accessible the knowledge to all the son of this land to release our work force and form a bundle against the constraints and barriers that paralyze our growth.

[...]

It is in the unit that they have succeeded on May 18, 1803 to give birth to the national colors, is in the unit, and only in the unit that we will succeed by 2030 to hoist this flag on the board of emerging countrie [...]

So, Haitian and Haitian, let us unite, let us unite, tightening our rank under this banner, this banner floating to remind the world that we are the Nation of Liberty. Together we will advance towards this Haiti of progress and social justice that we want to see emerge and prevail.

[...]"

Listen to the full speech

HL/ HaitiLibre