Self-determination, political and economic independence are the principles of the Algerian state since the recovery of its independence.
More than 68 years after liberation from French colonization, Algerians commemorate every November the start of the revolution that gave rise to their independence.
Topics: Algeria in Chile, National Days, Advertorial, Embassies in Chile.This is how Algeria's National Day was experienced in Chile
Produced for the Embassy of Algeria in Chile - Cameras: Iván Rodríguez / Laureano Fernández G. / Editing: Gabriel Agustín Garay Opaso
The Ambassador has a vast career in his country's public service; he has been Secretary of Foreign Affairs at the General Directorate of Consular Affairs of Algeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Counselor at Algeria's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York; Minister Counselor at the Embassy of Algeria in Brussels and Algeria's Representation to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Director at the Presidency of the Algerian Republic. And, from November 2019, he began his work as Ambassador of Algeria to Chile.
The Ambassador recalls with satisfaction January 2020, when he presented his credentials to the former president, Sebastián Piñera Echeñique, adding: "it is always a moment of pride and emotion for an Ambassador. First, the pride of representing my country and my compatriots in Chile. Then, the emotion of beginning a new mission that includes different aspects and facets," as he mentions on the official website of the Embassy of Algeria in Santiago de Chile.
Therefore, he reminds us that the purpose of this interview, and probably what motivates him most: to make visible the relevance and commitment of the Embassy to the history of Algeria, a story that rises from the self-determination and autonomy of a people —his people— who years ago overcame decolonization with vehemence, inspiration and solidarity, as the events of less than a hundred years confirm.
Mr. Ambassador, thank you for receiving us at the Embassy of Algeria, we are here to learn:
What does the date of November 1st mean for Algeria?
The first of November of each year is a new opportunity to commemorate the start of the Algerian revolution and pay tribute to the freedom fighters who gave their lives so that Algeria could recover its independence, after 132 years of colonization.
On this day in 1954, 68 years ago, the Algerian people regained control of their destiny and inflicted on the French occupation army, one of the most powerful of the time, a lesson in courage and sacrifice. This glorious epic earned Algeria admiration and respect worldwide and inspired other liberation movements.
Beyond the commemorative dimension, three lessons can be drawn from the Algerian revolutionary experience that apply to various current situations:
- Colonialism, in all its forms and expressions, is a dehumanizing and bloody action that must be denounced and fought clearly and unambiguously;
- A united and determined people who want to emancipate themselves from colonial power are invariably invincible and, sooner or later, will achieve their goal;
- International solidarity is essential to break the law of silence in which colonial powers want to confine colonized peoples.
H.E. the Ambassador of Algeria to Chile, Mr. Mohamed Sofiane Berrah.
© Embajadas.TV 2022 Photo: Iván Rodríguez R.
H.E. the Ambassador of Algeria to Chile, Mr. Mohamed Sofiane Berrah.
© Embajadas.TV 2022 Photo: Iván Rodríguez R.
What role did Chile play in Algeria's War of Independence and how did Algerians perceive it?
The celebration of the outbreak of Algeria's War of Independence gives us the opportunity to express our gratitude and recognition to the foreign actors who contributed to the struggle of the Algerian people.
In this spirit, I want to highlight the role played by the Chilean Committee for Support of Algerian Independence, created in 1956 under the leadership of the late deputy Marco Antonio Salum Yazigi, which contributed to raising awareness about the objectives of the Algerian war and mobilized the support of Latin American countries for the independence of its people. This is due to the diversity of its militant base, which represented various forces and socio-professional sectors in Chile.
Algeria, for its part, showed the same compassion and solidarity toward the Chilean people, actively supporting the Chilean resistance after the coup d'état of September 11, 1973, and opening its doors to refugees fleeing the military dictatorship.
What is the future of relations between Algeria and Chile?
The active solidarity and strong ties that have always characterized relations between Algeria and Chile, and which find their roots and multiple expressions in the common history of their peoples, amply justify strengthening human exchanges and multi-sector cooperation between the two countries, especially when both have much to offer and an appreciable level of complementarity, despite the geographical remoteness and the cultural and linguistic distance that separates them.
On Algeria's part, we are working to give a positive dynamic to this special relationship and nurture it so that, on the occasion of the 2023 celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Algeria and Chile, we can together take concrete steps to strengthen and deepen it.
