New York, 15 May 2010 – Marking the 67th anniversary of the Somali Youth League, the UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, has offered congratulations to the founders, their relatives and all Somalis.
"On this very day 67 years ago, a group of Somali patriots got together without concern for regional, tribal affiliation or material consideration and forged together their determination for the liberty and dignity of their country. They decided to fight colonialism for independence and sovereignty. Their message has resonated throughout Somalia, Africa and beyond.
"On this historical day, on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General, I would like to salute the memory of these patriots. In the spirit of this anniversary, I would also like to call on the Somali elites within and outside the country to show unity in their vision and actions to reject blatant interference undermining their independence and dignity. May this anniversary serve as a rallying cry for Somalis to stand up to retake their sovereignty as they began doing 67 years ago."