May 18th marks Flag Day in Haiti, commemorating the flag’s adoption on the same date in 1803—just months before Haiti gained its independence from France on January 1, 1804.

This year, on May 16, the preschoolers celebrated the flag by sharing stories of Haitian history, honoring centuries of Haiti’s independence and freedom.

Students and teachers donned their red and blue for the day and sang songs about the flag. At a school assembly, students shared the history of the flag, sewn by Catherine Flon, and the meaning behind Haiti’s national motto of “L’union fait la force,” “Unity is strength,” which appears in the center of the flag, beneath the coat of arms.

It was a vibrant and colorful celebration to highlight Haiti’s history and to remind us all that we are stronger today.