Luanda - The Minister of State and head of the Military Office of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado, laid a wreath on Monday in Luanda at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, in honor of the heroes who made sacrifices in the conquest of National Independence, achieved on November 11, 1975.
The ceremony preceded by the raising of the Monument Flag, at the Armed Forces museum, was attended by several personalities from the State apparatus and civil society, who witnessed the moment, following the celebrations of the 49th anniversary of National Independence.
Francisco Pereira Furtado began by thanking all the heroes and combatants who fought for the conquest of independence and guarantee of national sovereignty.
On the occasion, he also said that the greatest honor in having participated in the achievement of national independence, having appealed to the greater resilience of citizens, in particular for young people, observing the spirit of sacrifice and respect for society.
In turn, the vice president of the MPLA, Luísa Damião, said that we must remain united and look at national production, as well as move towards sustainable development.
'This is the path we have to take, after 49 years of many achievements, but also many challenges', she said.
She also said that Angolans must remain committed and make their contribution to better honor those who fought for the 49 years of National Independence.
For Eugenia Neto, widow of the Founder of the Nation, it is necessary for young people to work and study in order to preserve the legacy of independence, the progress that the country presents today.
The arrival of the Portuguese in the national territory occurred in the fifteenth century, during the period of the great navigations.
This action was marked by the search for new trade routes and territorial expansion, with the Portuguese being the first to explore the African coast, in search of spices, gold and other resources.
The first contact took place in 1482 by the navigator Diogo Cão who arrived at the mouth of the Zaire River, giving the starting point for the exploration of the Angolan coast.
The presence of the Portuguese was consolidated over the following centuries, and the city of Luanda was founded in '1575', becoming an important administrative center, with the trade of slaves, precious stones and spices.
The struggle for the freedom of the Angolan people, although some actions had already faded, took place in 1961 with a long period of armed conflict between the Angolan liberation movements (MPLA, UNITA, FNLA).
In 1975, after long years of confrontation and negotiations, Angola finally declared independence, in a ceremony that took place in Luanda, led by the country's first president, António Agostinho Neto. ANM/AJQ/DOJ
