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31 January 2010
Duarte day celebrated in style
Tuesday 26 January was the 197th anniversary of Juan Pablo Duarte's birthday.
He is seen as the country's founder and 'father of the fatherland', who called for the first independent Dominican Republic in 1844, together with Ramón Mella and Francisco Sánchez, when they defeated the Haitian occupiers.
Even today, Duarte is still considered the symbol for freedom, and many streets, buildings, bridges and even the highest mountain in the country all bear his name.
A Holy Mass was held in his honour every early on Tuesday morning, at the Catholic Church in Charamicos.
Duarte day celebrated in style
Duarte day celebrated in style
Once this was over, schoolchildren from the various local schools, together with a military drum band from the Air Force base, marched through the streets of El Batey and Charamicos.
Members of the Civil Defence and National Police also joined the parade.
The government had actually changed the celebration to Monday 25 January, so that the public holiday would follow a weekend.
Everyone appreciated the public holiday on Monday, but this didn't stop them from celebrating Duarte's real birthday on the Tuesday, thus giving them two days off.
Video: www.youtube.com
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