Good Friend Taiwan Sparks Up September Celebrations
As Belize’s September celebrations heat up, Taiwan is contributing a big spark with a generous donation of BZ$ 40,000 to sponsor this year’s fireworks.
On Friday, 22 August, the Taiwanese Ambassador Benjamin Ho presented Diane Haylock, President of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) and Co-Chair of the National Celebrations Commission, with a healthy cheque to help fill the skies with the light, sound and colour of an enormous fireworks display.
“You know that it’s celebration time in Belize and, as has been the case for quite some time, the Embassy of Taiwan in Belize has contributed faithfully,” Ms Haylock said.
The Commission is officially responsible for sponsoring four events: the Official Opening of the Celebrations on St. George’s Caye, the Official Ceremonies for September 10 and 21, and the Flag Raising Ceremony on September 20, and Ms Haylock said that the donation will make a big contribution to what many are expecting to be the biggest September celebrations yet.
For the uninitiated and those unfamiliar with the Belize Travel Blog, September Celebrations are the most important dates on Belize’s calendar, commemorating independence and the historic events leading up to it.
On September 10th, 1798, Belize’s early European settlers, the Baymen, and slaves defeated a much larger Spanish naval force, repelling an invasion at St George’s Caye off the coast of present day Belize City. Regarded as the defining moment in Belizean statehood, it is celebrated every year as a national holiday on September 10.
September 21st marks the 33rd anniversary of Belizean Independence. On that date in 1981, and after a long history as a crown colony and a more recent struggle for self-determination, Belize achieved independence from Great Britain.
Given the importance of these two events, it’s no wonder that the entire nation country goes into party mode for the entire month of September, with fiestas, parades, pageants, competitions, and a carnival filling the weeks.
And, thanks to the government of Taiwan, once again the skies will be filled with sound and colour exploding above the exuberant crowds.
“As you may know Taiwan is very big on culture and so I think that it is on that basis that they find it within themselves to make that contribution to our celebrations. And we are really grateful to them…” Ms Haylock said.
Yes, the Taiwanese are very big on culture, and, as anyone who has been to that prosperous island knows, they’re huge on fireworks, so Belizeans can look forward to another stunning display courtesy on our friends to the East.
So once again, Ambassador Ho and the people of Taiwan, a sincere;