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Independence celebrations in Nicaragua

Cinthia Membreño | Sep 5, 2011

School parades, governmental events and more will be part of these celebrations.

The 190th anniversary of the independence of Nicaragua will be held with a varied program of activities to be developed in the first too weeks of September. Public events, cleanups, the Torch of Independence Tour, lectures on the thought of national heroes, and more, will be part of the events scheduled for these festivities.

The events for the patriotic month, which is how September is called by the national government, started on September 1st and will end on September 15th, which is when the Central American countries were declared independent from the Spanish crowned back in 1821. "We have organized a series of activities to homage the heroic actions of Nicaraguans in order to obtain their independence, sovereignty and freedom", stated the program of activities provided by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education.

According to this same program, allusive decorations were placed both in public and private schools, as well as in national communities. Students have also made murals displaying information about the most important dates of the month. Furthermore, readings about the philosophy of independence heroes will be read every Monday in educational centers. These activities will end by September 10th.

The official act of the Patriotic Month will be held at the Ruben Dario Park (old center of Managua), at 4:0 pm, tomorrow. Four days later, the Torch of Independence will be received at the Las Manos border, located in Nueva Segovia. The torch will be given by the Honduran Secretary of Sate, as a signal of brotherhood and solidarity among Central American countries. It will be later taken to the city of Managua on Sunday, September 11th and then to the Costa Rican border two days later.

Anniversary of the San Jacinto Battle

The San Jacinto Battle, a historical episode that took place in the hacienda of the same name back in 1856, is annually commemorated every September 14th. In this battle, which was held 35 years later after the Independence Day, Nicaraguans fought against the troops of William Walker, an American that had decided to take over the country and be his president.

This year, Nicaraguans will celebrate the 155th anniversary of this battle. On Wednesday, September 14th, there will be public events in each municipal capital. Thousands of students will march through their schools and the streets of their municipalities dressed with their uniforms and led by other students who will carry the Nicaraguan flag.

In Managua, the public event will include the participation of over 100 school centers, who will be joined by musical bands. The parade will start in the Km 4 Carretera a Masaya and will end in the Ruben Dario roundabout (Metrocentro). Governmental authorities will take an oath to the Nicaraguan flag.

Finally, on September 15th, the Declaration of Independence will be read in each public and private educational center. The celebrations of the Patriotic Month will end on this date.