Martyrs' Day of Remembrance in Tunisia (09/04)

On April 9, Tunisia celebrates Martyrs' Day in Tunisia, which is a public holiday and day off in the country, in memory of the tragic events that occurred on this day in 1938.

During a demonstration on April 9, 1938, many Tunisians sacrificed their lives in defense of the right to independence from colonial France and for the benefit of their country.

Let us recall that from 1881 to 1956 Tunisia was under the protectorate of France. The country, under the nominal leadership of the local tribal aristocracy, was ruled by a French administration led by a governor. After the fall of France in World War I, Tunisian nationalists began a campaign for the country's independence from the invaders. They organized and conducted various rallies and campaigns against the French colonialists, who responded by using force.

One of these episodes of the struggle for the independence of Tunisia was the tragic events of April 9, 1938, when colonial troops opened fire on demonstrators, as a result of which at least 22 Tunisians were killed and several hundred were wounded. The leaders of the uprising were arrested and deported to France.

However, in the end, in the spring of 1956, France recognized the independence of Tunisia, which at that time was a constitutional monarchy.

On special, memorable days, such as Martyrs' Day in the country, Tunisians consider it their sacred duty to honor the memory of the martyrs who gave them independence, a minute of silence and the laying of flowers at monuments. Moreover, on this day they remember not only the participants in the 1938 uprising, but also everyone who gave their lives in the struggle for the freedom of the country.

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