Each and every year on the18thMay, we the people of Somaliland remember, we will always remember the mothers and fathers who laid down their lives for peace and progress of this honourable nation.We always remember these fallen heroes and heroines because of their loyal contribution. Saeed Furaa

Today the history of our beloved country is written as a result of their hands, we remember them because our history is written by their toil and misery. We remember them because their hunger to give us equal opportunities is unmatched, we remember because they taught us to change the world with words and not with guns, we remember because we cannot afford to forget.

It is my greatest hope that this year’s anniversary (18thMay2009)could be different in that we can remember our duties to continue writing and teaching our history to the young and the frail, so they can take pride in their historical identity as the people of courage and wisdom, because those who fell taught them better.

Anniversaries are not supposed to be fashion shows or just happy moments, but a chance to reflect about whom we are and who we want to be.

When the18thMay09arrives (insha allah), I hope we could all of us remember where we come and where we want to go as the people of Somaliland. When we celebrate we must ask ourselves: "how will history remember us?” will it remember us as fashionable people who gathersto entertain large audience by dancing orjust singingwith no modest,or as people of duty to a country? Will people in centuries to come speak about our names or they will never know we existed?

As the founder of Somaliland Anniversary in Southern Africa, I will commemorate and remember the befallen this year because it is the right thing to do. I believe that when this year’s anniversary comes we all must ask ourselves what we can do for Somaliland. Personally I think we can do more as the people of the Diaspora. I think we can make significant changes to the lives of the many and millions by constantly talking and urging other nations to take cognizance of our strides as the Somaliland people in as far as peace stability is concerned and economic attempts in reconstruction.

The theme on the forth coming18thMay, should beCHANGE,I am ardent believer in socio-political and economicalchange in Somalilandand civic duty and I believe we have the resources to foster change from where we are. We can do more together. I believe Somaliland is fortunate to have us in the Diaspora in order to strengthen foreign relations and support, but to do that we must have common vision.

Long Live Somaliland

SaeedFuraa

Freelance Journalist

South Africa

E-mail: [email protected]