By: Andrew Chokpeleh
Freetown, 11th December 2025: President Julius Maada Bio has made a public proclamation declaring January 18 each year as a nationwide holiday that the country will use to celebrate and remember those who lost their lives during the civil war. The civil war was an unfortunate tragedy that claimed the lives of many people in the country and severely damaged the nation’s economy.
“You will recall that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established to create an impartial record of the civil war the country experienced, and the report also made recommendations for lasting peace.”
President Julius Maada Bio explained that the commission also recommended that January 18 be set aside as the official day marking the end of the civil war in the country, and as a national reconciliation day dedicated to honoring the victims of the war and promoting peace nationwide. He noted that many people still bear the physical and emotional scars of what he described as a brutal conflict that claimed countless lives across the country.
He stated that January 18 each year will now serve as a National Remembrance Day, dedicated to civic education, community engagement, peace building, and honouring the victims and survivors of the war.
He added that this day will be used to reflect on the sacrifices made by many people who fought for the peace, stability, and security of the country. His Excellency also emphasized that the day will help deepen national cohesion and remind citizens that violence must never again be used as a means to express grievances.
He further explained that this proclamation is meant to uphold the recommendations made in the TRC report to set aside a day the nation can use to promote peace and reflect on the horrors of the war and why the country should never allow such circumstances to occur again. President Bio noted that many people are still living with the scars and trauma left by the war, and this day will help them feel that the nation still cares. It will also serve as an opportunity for children who were not born during the conflict to learn that violence is never an appropriate way to resolve issues.
This annual observance stands as a solemn reminder of Sierra Leone’s painful past but also as a beacon of hope for a peaceful future. By institutionalizing January 18 as a day of remembrance, reflection, and reconciliation, the nation reinforces its commitment to unity and to the collective responsibility of safeguarding peace for generations to come.
