Independence Day in Somaliland is an annual celebration held on 18 May in Somaliland to mark the polity's declaration of independence from the

Somali Democratic Republic The Somali Democratic Republic ( so, Jamhuuriyadda Dimuqraadiya Soomaaliyeed; ar, الجمهورية الديمقراطية الصومالية, ; it, Repubblica Democratica Somala) was the name that the socialist military government gave to Som ...

, a unilateral proclamation which remains unrecognized the world over.Human Rights Watch (Organization), Chris Albin-Lackey, ''"Hostages to peace": threats to human rights and democracy in Somaliland'', (Human Rights Watch: 2009), p.43. Although internationally seen only as an

autonomous In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ow ...

area of Somalia,Somaliland’s Quest for International Recognition and the HBM-SSC Factor
the territory's self-declared independence has endured, and the twentieth anniversary was celebrated in 2011 at the National Palace in

Hargeisa Hargeisa (; so, Hargeysa, ar, هرجيسا) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Somaliland. It is located in the Maroodi Jeex region of the Horn of Africa. It succeeded Burco as the capital of the British Somaliland Protector ...

, Somaliland's capital, with shops closing down for the day.

Gallery

File:Independence monument in Hargeisa, Somaliland.jpg, Independence monument in Hargeisa, Somaliland

References

Culture of Somaliland May observances {{holiday-stub