Classroom lesson · Festival · 🇸🇸 South Sudan

Independence Day

9 July — the birthday of the world's newest country

Photo · Wikimedia Commons

What is it?

On 9 July 2011, South Sudan became an independent nation — the newest country in the world at that time. Every year on this date, the whole country celebrates with parades, traditional dancing, music, and flag-waving in the streets. It is the most important national holiday of the year, marking the day South Sudan took its place on the world map.

Tell me more

South Sudan's flag has bands of black, red, and green, with a blue triangle at the hoist and a gold star at its centre. Each colour means something: black for the people, red for the blood that built the nation's spirit, green for the land, blue for the Nile waters, and the gold star for unity. Schoolchildren learn the meaning of every colour and fly the flag proudly on Independence Day.

The celebrations in Juba begin early in the morning. Processions of schoolchildren march through the streets. Traditional dancers from different communities — Dinka, Acholi, Zande, Nuer, Bari, and many more — perform in public squares, each in their own vibrant costume. The beat of kakande drums fills the city from sunrise.

Food stalls appear all along the Nile waterfront: kisra flatbread, asida, ful medames, grilled tilapia, fresh mango juice. Families spread mats on the grass and share meals together, watching performances and greeting neighbours. The atmosphere is joyful, proud, and full of music.

Being the world's newest country means South Sudan is still writing its own story. Every child in the country today will grow up watching their country build new schools, roads, and sports stadiums. Independence Day is a reminder that the story is just beginning.

In the classroom

Walk your class through this in 15 minutes.

Talk together

Discussion prompts

01South Sudan became a country in 2011 — some of your classmates may be older than the country itself. What does it feel like to be part of something brand new?
02Every colour on South Sudan's flag has a meaning. What colours would you put on a flag for your school, and what would they mean?
03Independence Day brings together many different communities. Why is it important for countries to celebrate what they share, as well as their differences?

Try this

Classroom activity

Design a flag for an imaginary new country in your classroom. Choose 3–5 colours, decide what each one means, and add one simple symbol. Write a short explanation of your design. Compare flags around the class: what symbols did people choose most often? What does that tell you about what people think is important?

More about South Sudan

Other things that make South Sudan special

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