Flag raising marks Constitution Day By Christophe Zialor |19 June 2021
The flag-raising ceremony
A flag raising ceremony was held yesterday to mark Constitution Day, a day that celebrates the adoption 28 years ago of the Constitution of the Third Republic of Seychelles.
The day has been celebrated every year on June 18 since 2016.
As is customary, the flag-raising ceremony yesterday took place at the Voice of the Nation monument along 5th June Avenue.
It was attended by the President of the Republic Wavel Ramkalawan; First Lady Linda Ramkalawan; Vice-President Ahmed Afif; Speaker of the National Assembly, Roger Mancienne; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Ronny Govinden; the cabinet of ministers; leader of government business; leader of the opposition; members of the diplomatic corps; Commissioner of Police; Chief of Defence Forces, among other guests.
Approved by the Seychelles parliament, the flag of the third republic was launched on June 18, 1996, under the new multiparty system. Made up of five oblique bands of blue, yellow, red, white and green, the current flag represents “a dynamic young country moving into a new future”.
“It was exactly 25 years ago, three years after the birth of the Third Republic, that this beautiful five-coloured flag was unfurled, and on that same day, the national anthem ‘Koste Seselwa’, the Armorial Bearings and the President's standard was introduced to the people of Seychelles for the first time as our four National Symbols. Our rendez-vous at the ‘Voice of the Nation’ monument on this day every year is symbolic and is a reminder of this auspicious occasion,” said Merna Eulentin, Master of Ceremony.
After the National Anthem was performed and the flag hoisted, Hailey Agathine (a primary student), Leonora Hoareau (a secondary student), Georgia Ernesta (an A-Level student), Bertrand Loze (a UniSey student), Julien Alexis (a young professional) and Josianne Azemia-Seeward read out the preamble of the Constitution.
This was followed by a musical performance by Veronique Belle, Yoni Farabeau and Emma Marie.
Following the ceremony Bertrand Loze noted that the ceremony shows the importance of our Constitution and it affirms our engagement towards it.
Mrs Azemia-Seeward said that “it represents values that we all share as Seychellois. It gives us pride in what we have accomplished over the years as a nation.”
The accompanying photographs taken by our photographer Jude Morel show highlights of the ceremony.
