News & Events

Independence Day is a moment of pride and reflection for Jamaicans, as they celebrate their rich cultural heritage, diversity, and national identity. This day is marked by various festivities, parades, cultural performances, and flag-raising ceremonies across the country. Jamaicans enjoy traditional music, dance, and delicious local cuisine. During the celebrations, the black, green, and gold colours of the Jamaican flag are prominently displayed, symbolising the nation’s strengths, natural resources, and resilience. The Jamaican national anthem, “Jamaica, Land We Love,” is sung with great enthusiasm, filling the air with patriotism and unity.

It is a time for Ghanaians to pay tribute to their founding fathers and mothers, who fought for self-governance, sovereignty, and national unity. One of the most prominent figures celebrated on Founders’ Day is Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who became the first Prime Minister of Ghana and later its first President after leading the country to independence on March 6, 1957. The day is typically marked with various activities, including parades, cultural displays, lectures, and discussions about Ghana’s history and its vision for the future.

The word “Umuganura” means “first fruits” in the Kinyarwanda language, and symbolises the celebration of the first harvest of the season. On this day, various rituals and ceremonies take place, including offerings of the first harvested crops, prayers, traditional dances, and feasting. The festival serves as a way to show gratitude to ancestors, promote unity and reconciliation among communities, and strengthen Rwandan cultural identity.