"Haitian brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of this beloved land,

223 years ago, in a surge of faith and unwavering courage, our founding fathers joined hands and hearts to give birth to an immortal symbol : our bicolor flag. It was not simply two pieces of cloth sewn together; it was the solemn proclamation of a people choosing freedom, dignity, and unity in the face of oppression.

It was Catherine Flon who, with her skilled hands and ardent soul, sewed this bicolor, this very banner that would become the flag of freedom not only for us Haitians, but for all oppressed peoples of our continent and the entire world. Today, more than ever, we are called upon to remember this founding act. For while our flag has withstood the storms of time, our nation is going through a dark hour, and it will only emerge from it when every Haitian remembers the sacrifices made by our founding fathers to bequeath this land to us. Haiti is in tatters. But a people who have risen from the impossible can also rise from their ashes.

Let's stitch together these torn pieces of cloth. Let us unite our strength, our intellect, our will. The unity that gave birth to this Republic must now resurrect it. Our fathers broke physical chains; it is up to us to break the chains of division, indifference, and despair. Haiti deserves to live. Haiti deserves to be a livable place for all its sons and daughters, wherever they may be on this earth. Solèy la dwe klere pou tout Ayisyen alawon badè

On this day of remembrance, let's commit to honoring the sacrifice of our ancestors not only with words, but with concrete acts of unity, solidarity, and reconstruction.

Long live Haiti! Long live the Haitian flag ! Long live solidarity ! Long live national dignity !"

Ambassador Bocchit Edmond

former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Haiti.

HL/ HaitiLibre