Madagascar celebrates 53th anniversary of independence

Madagascar celebrated the 53th anniversary of independence from France on Wednesday by a military parade held in the capital with a theme "Peace and fraternity, guarantee of success". The ceremony was attended by the president of transition, Andry Rajoelina, all chiefs of institutions in the Indian Ocean island country and 60,000 Malagasy people. Before the military parade, the ceremony was opened by a military review led by Rajoelina. It was followed by a flash mob held by 200 students of a public school and a show of gendarmerie motorcycles. The parade involved 2,900 troops from the Malagasy army, the national gendarmerie, the national police, prison administration, forestry body and firefighters. Various festivities ranging from carnivals to fireworks were also held throughout the 22 regions to mark the national day. Madagascar won independence from France on June 26, 1960 after colonized for 64 years. The Malagasy armed forces were born on the same day.