Not just the US; there is another country that attained independence on July 4

Time of India

2 days ago

Every year on July 4, the United States lights up in celebration of its
Independence Day
, marking the country's birth in 1776. But it's not the only nation with significant ties to this date. Across the globe, July 4 also holds deep historical meaning for other countries like the Philippines and Rwanda.
In the Philippines, July 4 was once known as Philippine Independence Day, the day the country was officially recognized as a sovereign state by the United States in 1946 after years of colonization. Though the Philippines now celebrates its independence on June 12, the date of its earlier declaration from Spanish rule, July 4 still stands as a landmark in the country's long struggle for freedom.
Meanwhile, in Rwanda, July 4 marks Liberation Day, commemorating the end of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
While the country's official Independence Day is July 1, Liberation Day is viewed as equally, if not more, significant, as it is symbolic of Rwanda's rebirth and movement toward unity and healing.
So while Americans wave flags and watch fireworks on the Fourth of July, people in other parts of the world reflect on that same date as a powerful moment of hard-earned freedom and national transformation.
How was the Philippines historically related to the US?
The Philippines was earlier ruled by the United States, as a colony following Spain's surrender in the Treaty of Paris (1898).
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This came after decades of struggle, including the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule in the late 1800s and the Philippine-American War in the early 1900s.
Although Filipino revolutionaries had already declared independence on June 12, 1898, the US did not recognise this and instead annexed the country. Filipino leaders continued their push for full sovereignty through diplomatic efforts, resulting in the Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916, which promised future independence.
The promise was finally fulfilled on July 4, 1946.
However, in 1962, the Philippines officially moved its Independence Day celebrations to June 12, honoring the original declaration of freedom from Spanish rule.
Rwanda got freedom from Belgium on July 4
On the other hand, Rwanda celebrates Liberation Day on July 4, which marks the end of the horrific 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Although Rwanda's official Independence Day is July 1, when it gained freedom from Belgium in 1962, Liberation Day carries deep emotional and national significance.
The date represents Rwanda's transition into a new era of healing and rebuilding. According to Albert Nzacahinyeretse, Church Empowerment Zone Manager at World Relief Rwanda, 'Independence is a public holiday on the first of July, but its celebration is combined with Liberation Day on the 4th of July. During the event, we celebrate unity, accountability and the nation. The independence holiday is important to us since it helps younger generations to know more about the history of the nation and get involved in developing the country,' as shared in The New Times Rwanda.
So, while the US marks its independence with fireworks and festivities, other countries like the Philippines and Rwanda also look to July 4 as a day of hard-won freedom, for their own history and reasons to remember.
Photo: Canva