Celebrating Belize’s Independence Day

9 Things to Know about Belize Independence Day

Must you be a citizen of Belize to fully appreciate the nation’s Independence Day? Not if you have a healthy respect for nations and people who fight hard to break free of colonizers!

Besides, the 39th anniversary of Belize’s independence in 2020 comes at an especially auspicious time: The nation is healing from the COVID-19 assault that impacted everyone in this Central American nation.

What should you know about this important holiday? From fun facts to national symbols, who couldn’t benefit from knowing more about Belize’s long fight for independence?

Fact #1: Belize’s Independence Day marks two occasions: The Battle of St. George’s Caye when Spaniards were defeated in 1798 and the nation’s new constitution, adopted in 1981, when British Honduras ceased to exist.

Fact #2: That legendary and decisive victory at the St. George’s Caye battle took only 8 days to accomplish.

Fact #3: George Cadle Price (15 January 1919 – 19 September 2011), Belize’s first Prime Minister, guided his country to self-governance and independence from Britain. He is still called Belize’s “Father of the Nation.”

Fact #4: A contest is held annually to pick an Independence Day theme. The 2020 winner is 13-year-old Precious Martinez’s entry: Overcoming Adversity, Creating Opportunity, Belizeans: Unite for Prosperity!

Fact #5: This annual Independence Day theme contest requires entries to be less than 10 words long, no easy task to accomplish for adults much less teens.

Fact #6: If you’d like to celebrate Independence Day in Belize, you don’t have to wait for the official date of September 21st. The entire nation morphs into one big celebration throughout the month of September.

Fact #7: Had the nation not worked hard to gain independence in 1981, it would still be called British Honduras and fly a flag that includes the Union Jack.

Fact #8: Even Belize’s flag design serves as a reminder of hard-won independence. It features 50 leaves recognizing 1950 as the year the nation’s journey to independence began and two men representing the diverse ethnicities that make Belize unique.

Fact #9: You won’t find a better place to celebrate Belize’s independence and your own than by booking a fall vacation at Laru Beya Resort. If you’re a local, you qualify for special rates, just contact our Reservation Team for all the details. International travelers will be equally welcome when Laru Beya Resort reopens on November 5, 2020.

Is November too late to celebrate Belize’s the 39th Independence Day? Of course not — enthusiasm for achieving freedom is boundless, so whether you’re a Belize citizen, ex-pat or tourist, nobody will lift an eyebrow if you wish them “Happy Independence Day” any time after November 5th. In fact, they’ll probably wish you the same!

Bookings are already being placed and November 5th will be here before you know it, so why not show your independence from sequestration and all of the virus-related hardship you’ve been through than by making your plans to visit right now?