On the 20^th of July, Nobel team celebrated the Independence Day of Colombia and we dedicated the day to our wonderful Colombian team members!

We even learned some new things about the history and culture of the beautiful country of Colombia!

Did you know that?

• July 20^th is the day that symbolizes the independence of Colombia from Spanish colonization, so this date is the most important patriotic celebration in the country.
• The yellow in the Colombian flag represents the abundance and richness of the soil, but also sovereignty, harmony and justice; the blue symbolizes the sea, the two oceans on which Colombia has coasts and that unites Colombians with other peoples through the exchange of products; and the red represents blood, but not the blood that sheds hatred but the one that feeds the heart and gives it movement and life, the one that means love, power, strength and progress.
• On July 20^th, 1810, Bogota patriots planned a riot that would force the Viceroy to hand power to the Creoles. A flower vase for the celebration honoring Antonio Villavicencio was used to start a fight. As a result, the people of Bogota filled the streets and protested against Spanish arrogance.
• During the riot, patriot Jose Maria Carbonell gathered some men and took over the city’s cavalry and infantry barracks.
• Patriots tried to convince the Viceroy to give them a peaceful resolution. When the Viceroy hesitated, patriot Jose Acevedo y Gomez directed the angry mob towards the Royal Audiencia, where the Viceroy was in a meeting with the Creoles. Without any choice, Borbon signed the act, which permitted local ruling and, later, independence.
• Like Quito and Caracas, Bogota established a local rule, which aimed to restore the power of King Ferdinand VII.
• New Granada’s independence culminated in 1819 after the Battle of Boyaca and the entry of Simon Bolivar in Bogota.
• Colombia is an amazing country, with unmissable tourist attractions and hundreds of things to do! For example, the capital Bogota, with its mountains and museums; the flower-filled plazas of Medellin; Cali, the world’s salsa capital; Cartagena, the jewel of the Caribbean coast, and San Andres with the most beautiful beaches!
• Colombians invented many useful things for the world, for example the Hakim valve and the pacemaker in medicine, as well as the 3D tissue printer.

“My heart fills with joy when I think about my country, I am very proud to be Colombian because although ours is a third world country we are always fighting to get ahead, we are kind and hardworking. We have beautiful natural landscapes, beaches worthy of admiration, and although we have many problems, we always try to see the positive side.” – Angela Santibanez (Nobel Country Ambassador from Colombia)