Tunis — President Kais Saied visited the Martyrs' Square in Bizerte on Thursday morning to mark the 63rd anniversary of Evacuation Day.
He saluted the national flag to the strains of the national anthem and reviewed an honour guard representing the three branches of the armed forces before laying a wreath at the memorial and reciting Al-Fatiha in tribute to the souls of the martyrs.
According to a statement from the Presidency, the Head of State also met with several veterans who took part in the fierce battles that took place in Bizerte in July 1961.
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During these battles, Tunisians rallied behind the slogan "Evacuation and Arms" and made heavy sacrifices, with thousands of Tunisians killed or wounded as people from across the country rose to defend the nation's independence and sovereignty.
The ceremony was attended in particular by the Minister of National Defence and members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Following the ceremony, the President headed to downtown Bizerte, where he met a large number of citizens.
He stressed that Tunisia was waging a war of liberation, as previous generations had done, adding that the country would accept nothing less than victory.
President Kais Saied also said that the challenges were considerable but that the determination to overcome them was even greater.
He noted that the Tunisian people were deeply aware, with a strong sense of their history, that many of the obstacles facing the country stemmed from decades of corruption and destruction, while others were deliberately created by those who still believed themselves to be above accountability and the law.
During his meeting with citizens, the President of the Republic stressed that the issue was a national cause requiring everyone to demonstrate a deep sense of responsibility in order to achieve the goals of the glorious revolution and honour the hopes of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for independence and liberation.
The Head of State then proceeded to the main naval base in Bizerte, where he presided over the commissioning ceremony of a naval patrol vessel built in Tunisia by Tunisian workers and using local expertise.
He said the achievement marked the beginning of efforts to manufacture other equipment, stressing that the Tunisian people, with their youth, scientists and armed forces, were capable of creativity and innovation across various fields.
He added that the vessel would pave the way for further achievements in a wide range of sectors.
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