As the Day falls on a Sunday this year, it will be celebrated with a public holiday on Monday 17th September with the raising of Community Flag Raising Ceremonies taking place island-wide involving community groups, Cadet Corps and schools at 8 a.m.
At 9:00 am there will be the Laying of Wreaths & Guard of Honour at the Robert L. Bradshaw Community Park in St. Paul’s, in honour of the First National Hero, Sir Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw and other National Heroes. Community Awards will also be given to persons who have given outstanding service to children.
At 4:00p.m. SHADES OF PINK will have a Breast Cancer Fundraiser at 17 Degrees on Victoria Road.
However Sunday will be observed as the National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving with the announcement of National.
The independence Fun Run is scheduled to take place at 3:00 p.m. while the State Service will be hosted at the St. George’s Anglican Church in Basseterre at 6:00 p.m.
It was back in 1998, that the Saint Kitts and Nevis Federal Parliament passed the National Honours Act. A National Awards Committee was also established under the Act.
The committee is composed of members of the Public Service Commission, Trade Unions, Chamber of Commerce, the public, church and women organizations and the National Youth Council. Members of the public are able to submit nominations for the awards which are for citizens of the Federation who have given distinguished service to their country.
Through this act, various awards and acknowledgements were established, including a National Heroes Day, a public holiday.
On this day, the country honours those who have distinguished themselves for the good of the islands. The Act created three classes of awards: The Order of National Hero, the Star of Merit and the Medal of Honour.
The first National Heroes Day was celebrated on September 16, 1998.
The first National Hero identified and officially recognized was Bradshaw, who served as the first Premier of the Associated State of Saint Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla, from 1967-1978.