Liberians residing in Sweden, united under the banner of the Liberian Swedish Association (LSA), once again demonstrated their unwavering dedication to their homeland, Liberia, during the weekend of July 23rd and 24th. The LSA organized a two-day celebration in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, to honor Liberia's Independence Day. This joyous occasion brought together Liberians and friends of Liberia from across Sweden, Scandinavia, and the UK.
Sources close to the LSA leadership attribute the success of the festivities to the tireless efforts of the LSA leadership and several prominent members of the community. Their commitment and hard work made it possible to orchestrate a memorable event that allowed participants to celebrate Liberian culture, heritage, and independence with pride and enthusiasm.
"Although Liberia's actual Independence Day is July 26th, which fell on a Monday this year, the leadership decided to celebrate this magnificent day on the weekend prior to July 26th because Monday is usually a hectic day and people are usually very busy," said Mrs. Winifred Sandy, Secretary General of LSA.
As the aforementioned weekend drew closer, Liberians and friends of Liberia converged in Stockholm to attend the festivity. After being separated by the COVID-19 pandemic for a little over two years, this was the perfect time for Liberians to reunite. Many considered the summertime to be ideal for rekindling old friendships and forming new ones.
To kick off the weekend, a meet & greet event was held in Norsborg, a suburb of Stockholm, where many Liberians and friends of Liberia gathered to celebrate until 3:00 AM. Attendees danced non-stop to hit songs played by one of Stockholm's finest DJs, DJ Junior.
The highlight of the festivity took place on Saturday, July 24th, with an outdoor event at VÃ¥rby GÃ¥rd Strand. This event brought great joy to both kids and adults alike. It was evident that the children were the focus of the activities. Mrs. Koo Y. Joseph, Vice President of LSA, explained, "Because we have not been able to host our usual Kids Day Event for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to make the kids our focal point at this year's celebration - including them in nearly every aspect of the celebration." In terms of the expenses incurred for the kids' activities, Mrs. Joseph added, "We allocated a significant amount of money from the LSA account to purchase items to ensure the kids enjoyed themselves and created lasting memories. Many thanks to our President, Mr. David Ford, and Financial Secretary, Mr. Eric Galafaie, for approving our budget."
Mrs. Joseph further added, "The kids played games, participated in dancing competitions, and enjoyed food and drinks prepared by the LSA planning committee." Judging by their smiles and laughter, it was evident that the kids had an incredible time. One mother exclaimed, "My kids have not had this much fun in a long time, especially with the COVID-19 restrictions." Another mother expressed, "I wish more activities like these could be organized for the kids, especially during summer break. Seeing our kids playing together like this is wonderful; I love it!"
Miss Zinnah Sandy, an outstanding mother in the LSA community, took to the microphone to coordinate the kids' activities. Miss Sandy used her charm to encourage the kids to participate in most of the aforementioned activities.
"Wow... thank you, everyone! We made Liberia proud," Mr. Ford told members of the LSA community through a WhatsApp post on Sunday, July 25th, a day after the events. Speaking to the LSA Media team, Mr. Ford indicated, "It was a fantastic day; the weather was perfect, the kids had a blast, the music was fantastic, and Liberians and friends of Liberia came out in great numbers to celebrate as one big family."
However, there was a brief moment of concern when it seemed that the event would be disrupted by abrupt restrictions imposed by the Swedish Authority. These restrictions banned outdoor grilling to avoid fire hazards. Fortunately, through the quick intervention of Mr. & Mrs. Francis and Jackie Mensah, Mr. Barry Karmoh, and the LSA leadership, the issue was swiftly resolved. An alternative option was provided for people to grill instead of using charcoal.
As a token of appreciation, the leadership of LSA Stockholm Headquarters extends thanks and appreciation to the following LSA leaders for attending and supporting the events: Mr. Tejan Fahnbullah, Chairman, and Miss Ayo Wuo, Vice-Chairperson of the LSA Malmö Chapter; Mr. Sekou Konneh, Secretary General of LSA Norrland Chapter; and Miss Ami Jabateh and others who represented the LSA Gothenburg community.
The leadership also extends thanks and appreciation to the following communities in Stockholm for their support: the Sierra Leonean, Ghanaian, Guinean, Ugandan, Kenyan, and Nigerian communities.
Until next time, the LSA leadership encourages everyone to stay safe and urges Liberians in Sweden to continue being good representatives of Liberia!
Many thanks to the Leadership of LSA for a job well done. Keep the flame burning! Saye PARWON GBARGBAY.