The theme for this year's September celebrations is "United and Proud: Moving Forward: I am Belize". The theme and the logo were unveiled yesterday at the official launch of this year's activities at the burial site on the Island of St. George's Caye. Amada Balam of August Pine Ridge in the Orange Walk District took home the one thousand dollar prize for this year's theme competition. Government officials, representatives from the National Institute of Culture and History and other Belizeans were present to witness or participate in the official launch of the most patriotic time of the year. In his address Minister of Culture Manuel Heredia Junior spoke on the significance of the event that changed the course of our history 212 years ago.
Manuel Heredia; Minister of Culture
"It is fitting that we begin our festivities on this little island which has become the symbol of patriotism and endurance, loyalty and nation building. Our four fathers, masters and slaves, white man and black man, decided more than two hundred years ago in a town meeting held in the settlement of Belize at the mouth of the Belize River that they would stay and fight and maintain the life that they had come to know. St. George's Caye would be the first line of defence in this critical stand off on September 10 1798. An invading Spanish armada confused and lacking the skills to navigate the reef weaken by low moral and illness made an attempt to expel the Baymen and slaves and to no avail. Frustrated by the resolve of the settlers to stand their ground they realized that their cause was lost and retreated."
Minister Heredia also called on all Belizeans to subscribe to the content of this year's theme by participating in the activities that have been organized countrywide.
Manuel Heredia; Minister of Culture
"On the tenth of September we will come together on Memorial Park in Belize City to pay tribute to the Baymen and as this year's winner of the theme competition Ms. Amada Balam has declared we will be 'United and proud, as we move forward, for we are Belize'. On September 21 we will move to Belmopan for the 29th anniversary of our independence. There our armed forces will be assembled and will be joined by the Prime Minister, the leader of the opposition, members of government, church leaders and dignitaries from all over the world. Similar events including citizens' parade will take place all over the country in every town and village as once again we demonstrate patriotism and love for Belize."
The ceremony came to a close with musical presentations by the winner or this year's Patriotic Song Competition Silas Sabal and the theme song for the Restore Belize Initiative 'I am Belize' by Tanya Carter, Berne Velasquez and Sean Saldano.
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