The history of the holiday dates back to the unification of several parts of what is now commonly referred to as Somalia, which were under colonial rule.
In the late 19th century, during the so-called "Scramble for Africa," when European powers wrestled with each other for control of the continent, the British and the Italians established the colonies of British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland.
In the 19th century, the UK established a protectorate over much of Somalia, which became known as British Somaliland.
Taking advantage of the outbreak of World War II, the Italians occupied British Somalia in 1940. Two years later, they were driven out not only of the British, but also the Italian part of the Horn of Africa.
After the war, the UK retained both British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland under its protectorate. However, at the Potsdam Conference of 1945, the United Nations permitted Italy to establish a trusteeship of Italian Somaliland as the Trust Territory of Somaliland.
On June 26, 1960, British Somaliland declared independence as the state of Somaliland. The new state lasted only five days, as on July 1, 1960, Somaliland merged with the Trust Territory of Somaliland in what came to be regarded as "the birth of the republic."
How Is Somalia Celebrating Today?
The 63rd anniversary of the founding of the republic is celebrated enthusiastically in Somalia, with people gathering in Mogadishu Stadium to show their unity and pride in their victory over colonialism.
At the stadium, visitors listened to a speech by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who congratulated the people on celebrating "independence and freedom" and assured that Somalia would be "free from terrorists and foreign oppression."
Apart from that, Somalis enjoyed a horse race at the stadium.