One of the graduates speaks during the celebrations
One of the graduates speaks during the celebrations

Saturday 18 July

It was a fine sunny day when South Sudan’s Ottawa community celebrated the graduation of a number of their members with a barbecue at Vincent Massey Park.  This would be one of the occasions in which this community has organised an event as an independent national organisation. As a historical reference, a referendum was held in January 2011, to decide whether South  Sudan should break away from Sudan and declare independence. On 30 January 2011, the results showed that 98.83% of the population had voted for independence from Sudan. At midnight on 9 July 2011, South Sudan became an independent country under the name Republic of South Sudan.  On 14 July 2011, South Sudan became the 193rd member state of the United Nations. On 28 July 2011, South Sudan joined the African Union as its 54th member state.

Photo credit: Hector Addison