# PAUL BIYA
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# L'Artisan de l'Unité Nationale
# Architect of National Unity
20 mai 2014
20th May 2014
The Cameroonian people will celebrate, in the usual patriotic fervour, this 20th May 2014, the 42nd edition of the National Day. In fact, during the referendum organised on 20th May 1972, Cameroonians massively voted for the unitary State. This “peaceful revolution” constitutes the trade mark of Cameroon, a country that has been able, since the Reunification on 1st October 1961, to transform its linguistic, cultural and religious diversity into an asset which enables her move resolutely on the path to emergence.
The theme of this celebration is: “The Army and the Nation: building synergy to preserve peace and security, the guarantee of integration, stability and socio-economic development.” Which is in consonance with the speech of the Head of State during the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Armed Forces in Bamenda in 2010; “Although, by definition, the priority mission of our Armed Forces is to ensure peace and defend the territorial integrity of our country, they equally participate in creating enabling conditions for its development.”
Since his accession to power on 6th November 1982, Paul BIYA promotes and defends vehemently the values of peace, national unity and democracy, pillars of economic development and human progress, the expectation of all Cameroonians. National unity is always at the centre of the speeches of the Head of State and obviously his political actions.
In the campaign manifesto on the occasion of the election of October 2011, which led to his re-election, President Paul BIYA restated the primordial roles of peace and national unity with these words: “It goes without saying that consolidating peace in Cameroon and our national unity is a precondition for building a Nation around a vision, such as becoming an emerging country. For this reason, we should always strive to consolidate peace and national unity. They depend on each and everyone’s willingness to contribute to national efforts which will help us to collectively overcome any obstacles to development. Peace and national unity cannot be dissociated from the idea of democracy.”
This booklet which is entitled “Paul BIYA, Architect of National Unity”, illustrates the constant presidential message of peace and unity as the bases for the development of Cameroon. It is a compilation of vivid pictures and extracts from the speeches of the Head of State on the occasion of official visits to the regions.
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Le peuple camerounais célèbre, dans la ferveur patriotique habituelle, ce 20 mai 2014, la 42ème édition de la Fête Nationale. En effet, au cours du référendum organisé le 20 mai 1972, les Camerounais avaient plébiscité l'avènement de l'État unitaire. Cette « révolution pacifique » constitue la marque du Cameroun, un pays qui a su, depuis la Réunification intervenue le 1er octobre 1961, convertir sa diversité linguistique, culturelle et religieuse en un atout qui lui permet d'aborder sereinement sa marche vers l'émergence.