Sunday September 17, 2023
Somaliland Independence Day celebration organizer Abdullahi Mohamed, left, poses at the 2018 celebration in Edmonton with attendees Kaltun Sahal, Nima Askar and Anran Hassan. Postmedia, file
The Somaliland Cultural Association of Edmonton is celebrating 20 years in the community, hosting a Saturday cultural event at the St. John Cultural Centre.
The association is hosting the party — with members of the women’s association and Gurmad supporters — at the 10611 110 Ave. centre from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. The free event includes a live concert.
There will also be entertainment from event organizer and MC Abdullahi Mohamed, who goes by the name “Captain Abdul.”
“After COVID, it was though but finally people can come out and just everyone get to know the Somaliland community here,” he said.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia on May 18, 1991. While considered part of Somalia by most of the international community, the region, bordered also by Ethiopia and Djibouti, has its own money, elections and judiciary.
Somaliland was previously colonized by the United Kingdom while the rest of Somalia was colonized by Italy.