The celebrations began as the clock struck midnight, marking the start of Independence Day—the day when the Republic of South Sudan came into existence.

Church bells rang out to commemorate the birth of a new nation. People took to the streets of Juba, the new capital, participating in spontaneous parades to commemorate freedom.




Independence Day comes after decades of civil war between the Arab-dominated north and the predominantly African and Christian people of the south.

“Free at last,” said a South Sudanese man. “Free from oppression, and free for Jesus Christ.”

Thousands of people joined in, cheering, dancing, blowing whistles, singing, carrying flags, and openly weeping.

The day continued with military parades, prayers and a performance of the new national anthem. South Sudan officially was born at a ceremony attended by dignitaries from around the world, including Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham.




A declaration of independence was read, the new flag was raised, and the country's first president, Salva Kiir, took an oath of office.

“This day is joyous,” Graham said. “It is wonderful to be a small part of this great occasion. This is something that the people of the South have been praying for for many, many years. After 2 million people died, this is an answer to prayer. We thank God for the support, we thank God for answered prayer, and we thank God that He’s given the South an opportunity to rise up from the ashes and to build a new nation.”




Ken Isaacs, Vice President of Programs for Samaritan’s Purse, and part of our work in southern Sudan for nearly 20 years, also attended the ceremony.

“Today, the flag of Sudan comes down and the flag of South Sudan goes up,” he said. “This is the happiest day in the history of this country and one of the happiest days of my life.”

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and dozens of other world leaders were in attendance under a blazing sun as Salva Kiir hosted the noon-hour ceremony.




Thousands of South Sudan residents thronged the celebration area, and organizers soon learned they did not have enough seats for all the visiting heads of state and other VIPs. The heat was strong enough that many people fainted.

“We're overwhelmed. We did not know that the whole world was going to join us in our celebration,” the ceremony's announcer said.

On the way to the ceremony, Salva Kiir deviated from the red-carpeted path and walked through the crowds of the public celebration to unveil a new statue of Dr. John Garang, a southern Sudanese hero who was First Vice President of Sudan until he died in a July 2005 helicopter crash.

Samaritan's Purse , South Sudan , South Sudan , Celebrating Freedom