Haitian Ambassador Jean Robert Pillard congratulating former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo on his 89th birthday in Abeokuta, Nigeria, earlier this year. The people of Haiti maintain close ties with Nigeria and share a lot in common since a significant number of Haitians trace their origins to West Africa.
As Africa Month celebrations gained momentum on the continent and around the world, the Haitian National Flag Day was observed in Johannesburg on Monday, marking the 223rd anniversary of the national emblem and the emergence of the world's first independent black republic.
Africa Day is observed on May 25, the day the Organisation of African Unity - now known as the African Union - was established in 1963.
Haiti's blue-and-red flag was put together during the Haitian Revolution of 1803 that gave birth to the first independent black republic.The Haitian National Flag Day was celebrated in a ceremony hosted by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on Monday. It was also observed in other major diaspora hubs around the globe, such as New York, Florida and Massachusetts.
Giving a toast at the UJ event, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said South Africa and Haiti shared a common heritage of resilience, resistance and the unwavering commitment to human dignity.
