BALLARAT’S Southern Sudanese community came together at the weekend, to celebrate their country’s status as the world’s newest nation.The event marked the first time the community in Ballarat had gathered to formally recognise their independence. South Sudan became the world’s newest country on July 9, six years after it ended Africa’s longest-running civil war.Spokesperson for Ballarat’s Southern Sudanese community Justin Wani said the country’s independence had an important impact on Ballarat’s Sudanese population.“We have a community here — there are probably 100 people from southern Sudan in Ballarat,” he said. “This is a very, very important event for the community.“We didn’t do any celebrations (on July 9), so this is the first time this has happened in Ballarat.”Mayor Craig Fletcher and member for Ballarat East Geoff Howard were on hand to congratulate the community on Saturday. The event, which took place at the Cooinda centre in Wendouree, included traditional dancing and a performance from the Sudanese community’s female choir.