Indians around the world commemorate August 15th as the day India was liberated from British rule in 1947.
But did you know that India wasn’t the only country to gain independence on the same day?
As the country approaches its 75th year of independence and celebrates Azadi Ka Amrit Mohatsav, amidst the joy and cheers of sharing freedom on August 15th, There are 5 more countries of the world joining India .
South Korea, North Korea, The Republic of the Congo, Bahrain and Liechtenstein join India in celebrating independence on August 15th.
North korea and South korea
The Korean peninsula was liberated from decades of Japanese occupation by US and Soviet forces on August 15, 1945. Three years later, however, an independent South Korean government was established. Both North and South Korea celebrate their only common holiday, the Korean National Liberation Day, in commemoration of Victory Day over Japan. This day is also called Gwangbokjeol.
In South Korea, many activities and events take place on public holidays. This includes official ceremonies attended by the President of the Republic at the Korean Independence Hall or the Sejong Performing Arts Center in Cheonan.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo celebrates its independence on August 15th. On this day in 1960, after exactly 80 years of obedience, the country became fully independent from France. This day is also known as “Congolese National Day”.
Bahrain
On 15 August 1971, Bahrain declared independence from British rule following a UN investigation into the Bahraini people. The country then signed a treaty of friendship with Great Britain, ending the previous agreement. However, in the early 1960s, Britain announced the withdrawal of troops east of the Suez.
Furthermore, although August 14th is the actual date of Bahrain’s independence from Britain, the Kingdom neither celebrates nor marks this date.
Liechtenstein
The sixth smallest country in the world, Liechtenstein, also celebrates its independence from German rule on August 15th. Celebrated as a national holiday since 1940, citizens of the principality and their guests look forward each year to a spectacular fireworks display that caps off the national celebration. There are two main reasons for introducing the country’s National Day on August 15th. The first reason was that it was already a bank holiday. The second reason is that the then monarch, Franz Joseph II, celebrated his birthday on August 16th. It was therefore decided to celebrate a national holiday on August 15th as a combination of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the monarch’s birthday. It was introduced as an official holiday by law in 1990.
