MOGADISHU – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday laid a wreath at the SYL monument in the capital, Mogadishu, to commemorate the country’s Youth Day, marking the historic struggle of the Somali Youth League (SYL) for independence.
The ceremony paid tribute to the 13 founding members of the SYL, whose nationalist movement played a central role in securing Somalia’s independence from colonial rule.
During the commemoration, President Mohamud offered prayers in their honour and hailed their legacy as the foundation of modern Somali statehood.
In a speech delivered at the event, the President congratulated Somali youth on the occasion and praised their growing contribution to national development and ongoing efforts to eliminate extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab.
President Mohamud also urged Somalis across the country and in the diaspora to preserve their unity and support the state-building process, stressing that the principles of solidarity, patriotism, and collective sacrifice—embodied by the SYL—remain vital to the nation’s future.
