On 04 February, MINURSO celebrated Sri Lanka National Day Independence Day by raising the country’s flag at the Mission headquarters in Laayoune next to the UN flag.
The Day marks the country’s independence in 1948. It is celebrated all over the country through a flag-hoisting ceremony, dances, parades and performances.
Following obtaining its independence in February 1948, Sri Lanka has worked extensively with multilateral organizations and contributes women and men to UN peacekeeping operations all over the world, including MINURSO.
The lion and the maroon background in the flag of Sri Lanka represents the Sinhalese ethnicity, the orange and green stripes represent the country's two largest minorities Tamils and Muslims.