Somaliland

18 May Celebrations Abroad and Role of Somaliland Diaspora + Schedule of the Events

May 16, 2016

Unlike previous events, preparations for the 25^th Anniversary of regaining Somaliland Independence 18 May 2016 has been extensively going since January in the most host countries of Somaliland Diaspora communities abroad, Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and Africa as well.

Somaliland Diaspora Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation has encouraged all Diaspora communities to commemorate 18 May more strongly and differently than ever before and submitted action plan to the Somaliland Diaspora communities committees as guideline in regards to the preparations of the Diaspora communities for 18 May. The government emphasized the performances of powerful rallies and highly organized receptions, more media exposure and more engaging of the host governments and Somaliland friends in the events. There have been noteworthy efforts of the Diaspora communities committees, scholars, umbrella associations and appointed preparatory committees in preparations for 18 May 2016 to strengthen unity, cooperation and collective action of the communities in commemoration of 18 May, 2016 mainly countries in Europe. What is also worthy of mention that the most of the preparatory committees have been well reporting to SLDA and MOFA upon updates of their works including the Students Associations.

The key activities include remarkable and historic rallies planned to take place in different countries including UK http://somaliland-rally-uk.tumblr.com/likes, Sweden, Canada, USA and Australia plus more participation of Somaliland friends and bigwigs from host governments in key receptions. The most Somaliland Diaspora communities celebrating 18 May also submitted petitions and the legal case of Somaliland Recognition to their host governments.

The celebrations for 18 May abroad which have already taken place in some countries started on 13^th May for the first and will continue in the last week of May and first week of June to the last in some places.

Somaliland Diaspora Agency estimates that 18 May this year will be celebrated in nearly 70 capitals and major cities and towns in about 40 countries abroad by Somaliland Diaspora population.

EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA & AUSTRALIA: UK, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Turkey, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

AFRICA: include Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Djibouti, Sudan, Egypt, South Africa, and South Sudan.

ASIA: include UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Philippines, China and other countries.

Somaliland Diaspora Agency sends congratulations to all Somaliland Diaspora communities abroad including the active students associations, who are as well celebrating for 18 May in many countries on how patriotically they are all commemorating for the 25^th Anniversary of Somaliland, 18 May, 2016. SLDA also appreciates role of the most Somaliland Ambassadors in the 18 May Events preparations and their cooperation with the Somalilanders in their receiving countries.

Finally, we are calling all Somaliland Diaspora communities to greaten celebrations for the national day 18 May 2016 and particularly the upcoming planned rallies in support of the sovereignty and the quest for recognition of the Republic of Somaliland.

SCHEDULE OF 18 MAY EVENTS ABROAD AND ROLE OF SOMALILAND DIASPORA

No	Country (Wadanka)	City/province (Where Receptions and demonstrations are taking place)	Date/time for the celebration (Receptions and demonstrations)
1	UK	London A big demonstration will be held at Richmond Terrace opposite 10 Downing Street in the day time on 18 May and the Reception will be held in the night time	Date: 18^th May Demonstration time: 1pm–4:30pm
		Commemoration event for Somaliland friends in Islington Town Hall in London	Date 18^th of May 18:00 – 21:00pm
		Manchester	Date: 21^st May Starting time: 4:30pm
		Birmingham
		Sheffield
		Cardiff
		Bristol	Date: 18^th May
2	SWEDEN	Stockholm A big demonstration will be held opposite the Parliament House in the day time	Demonstration at Stockholm on 18^th May
		Malmö	Date: 14^th May
		Tröllhattan	Date: 21^st May
		Stockholm	Date: 27^th May
		Jönköping	28^th May
		Göteborg	28^th May
		Motala	21^st May
		Karlstad	Date: 14^th May
3	GERMANY	Munich	Date: 13^th May
		Frankfurt	Date: 14^th May
		Kassel A big demonstration will be held	Date: 15^th May
4	FRANCE	Angers 12^th May	Date: 12^th May
		Lyon 14^th May	Date: 14^th May
		Toulouse 04^th June	Date: 4^th June
5	HOLLAND	Utrecht	Date: 21^st May Time: 18:00pm – 3:00pm
6	DENMARK	Copenhagen Jagtvej 107 2200 Copenhagen	14 May Starting time: 13: pm
6	DENMARK	Arhus Axel klersvej 24 8270 Hojberg	Date: 20^th May Time: 7:00pm – 3:00am
7	NORWAY	Oslo Yougstorget	Date: 18^th May Time: 15:00pm – 21:00am
8	FINLAND
9	BELGIUM	Brussels Rue Du cinema 1A, 1080 Molenbeek	Date: 14^th May Time: 18:00pm – 3:00am
10	SWITZERLAND	Zurich	Date: 13^thMay Starting time: 12:00am
11	AUSTRALIA	Sydney
		Melbourne
		Perth
12	AUSTRIA
13	ITALY
14	NEW ZEALAND
15	TURKEY	Istanbul	Date: 20^th May Night time
16	CANADA	Ottawa	Date: 14^th May Time: 8pm – 4pm
		Edmonton	Date: 14^th May Time: 8pm – 4pm
		Toronto	Date: 21^st May Time: 8pm – 4pm
17	USA	Washington DC – May 20-21	Date: 20-21 May
		Columbus, OH Wilson Blvd and W. broad ST	Date: 21^st May
		Connecticut	Date: 21^st May
		Seattle, WA.	Date: 21^st May
		Minnesota	Date: 21^st May
		San Diego, CA	Date: 21^st May
18	ETHIOPIA	Addis Ababa	18^th May Night time
19	DJIBOUTI	Djibouti, Sheraton Hotel	Date: 18^th May Time: 7:00pm
20	SUDAN	Khartoum International Garden	Date: 18^th May Time: 8:00pm – 11:00pm
21	UGANDA	Kampala	Date: 18^th May Time: 7:00pm – 1:00am
22	KENYA	Nairobi	Date: 18^th May
23	TANZANIA	Dar Es Salaam A demonstration will be held	Date: 18^th May Time: 6:30am – 12:00pm
24	EGYPT	Cairo, Qaacatul Malikia Hotel	Date: 20^th May Night time
25	SOUTH AFRICA	Johannesburg	Date: 18^th May Night time
26	SOUTH SUDAN	Juba	Date: 18^th May
27	UAE	Abu Dubai	Date: 14^th May Time:
28	S/ARABIA	Jeddah	Date: 18^th May Night time
29	KUWAIT
30	QATAR	Doha
31	MALAYSIA	Kuala Lumpur Golden Chersonese Media Hall	Date: 28^th May Time: 7:00pm – 11:30pm
32	INDIA	Hyderabad	Date: 18^th May
33	BANGLADESH	Dhaka	Date: 19^th May Night time
34	CHINA
35	PHILIPINES		Date: 18^th May Night time
36	OMAN
37	BAHRAIN
38	PAKISTAN	Islamabad
40	UKRAINE