Public holidays in Syria | |
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Observed by | Syrians |
Public holidays in Syria consist of a variety of cultural, nationalistic, and religious holidays.
The primary national holiday in Syria is the Independence Day, celebrated on 17 April of every year, which celebrates the evacuation of the last French troops in Syria, officially ending the French Mandate for Syria.
Other important holidays include the anniversary of the Tishreen Liberation War Day on 6 October, Martyrs' Day on 6 May commemorating the execution of many Syrian nationalists by the Ottomans, and Armed Forces Day on the first of August celebrating the creation of the Syrian Armed Forces.
Date | English name | Local name | Remarks |
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January 1 | New Year's Day | عيد راس السنة الميلادية ‘Īd Ra’s as-Sanät al-Mīlādīyä | |
March 8 | Revolution Day | ثورة الثامن من اذار ‘Ṯaurät aṯ-Ṯāmin min Āḏār | |
March 21 | Mother's Day | عيد الأم ‘Īd al-’Umm | It also coincides with Nowruz نوروز (Kurdish celebration for spring) - Not an official holiday by the government. |
April 17 | Independence Day | عيد الجلاء ‘Īd al-Ğalā’ | Celebrates evacuation of last French troops in 1946 |
variable | Gregorian Easter | عيد الفصح غريغوري ‘Īd al-Fiṣḥ Ġrīġūrī | According to the Gregorian calendar (The second Sunday of April) |
variable | Julian Easter | عيد الفصح اليوليوسي ‘Īd al-Fiṣḥ al-Yūliyūsī | According to the Julian calendar (The third Sunday of April) |
May 1 | Labour Day | عيد العمال ‘Īd al-‘Ummāl | |
May 6 | Martyrs' Day | عيد الشهداء ‘Īd ašh-Šhuhadā’ | Anniversary of execution of Syrian nationalists in Damascus by the Turks |
October 6 | Tishreen Liberation War Day | حرب تشرين التحريرية Harb Teshreen Al-Tahririyyah | Celebrating Yom Kippur War |
December 25 | Christmas Day | عيد الميلاد المجيد ‘Īd al-Mīlād al-Mağīd | |
Dates following the lunar Islamic calendar | |||
Dhu al-Hijjah 10 | Eid al-Adha | عيد الأضحى ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥà | The four days of Eid Al-Adha (ayyam al tashriq) are holidays. |
Shawwal 1 | Eid al-Fitr | عيد الفطر ‘Īd al-Fiṭr | The three days of Eid Al-Fitr are holidays. |
Rabi' al-awwal 12 | Mawlid | المولد النبوي al-Maulid an-Nabawī | Prophet Muhammad's Birthday |
Muharram 1 | Islamic New Year | عيد راس السنة الهجرية ‘Īd Ra’s as-Sanät al-Hījrīyä | |
National celebration days (non holiday celebrations - previous holidays) | |||
March 1 | Arabic Language Day | يوم اللغة العربيةyāwm al-lughä al-‘Arabīyä | |
variable | Teacher's Day | عيد المعلم ‘Īd al-Mu‘alem | Only For schools, universities, and academic institutions. (On the third Thursday of March) |
August 1 | Armed Forces Day | عيد الجيش‘Īd aj-jaiŠh | Syrian Arab Army |
November 16 | Corrective Movement | الحركة التصحيحيةal-Ḥarakah at-Taṣḥīḥīyah | previously celebrated The 1970 coup that led Hafez Al-Assad to presidency and the purging of Ba'ath Party |
December 29 | Tree Day | عيد الشجرة‘Īd ašh-Šhajara | To celebrate farmers And Environment Or The Last Thursday Of the year |
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October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. The eighth month in the old calendar of Romulus c. 750 BC, October retained its name after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the Romans. In Ancient Rome, one of three Mundus patet would take place on October 5, Meditrinalia October 11, Augustalia on October 12, October Horse on October 15, and Armilustrium on October 19. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar. Among the Anglo-Saxons, it was known as Winterfylleth (Ƿinterfylleþ), because at this full moon, winter was supposed to begin.
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An Armed Forces Day, alongside its branch-specific variants often referred to as Army or Soldier's Day, Navy or Sailor's Day, and Air Force or Aviator's Day, is a holiday dedicated to honoring the armed forces, or one of their branches, of a sovereign state, including their personnel, history, achievements, and perceived sacrifices. It's often patriotic or nationalistic in nature, carrying propaganda value outside of the conventional boundaries of a military's subculture and into the wider civilian society. Many nations around the world observe this day. It is usually distinct from a Veterans or Memorial Day, as the former is dedicated to those who previously served and the latter is dedicated to those who perished in the fulfillment of their duties.
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Evacuation Day is Syria's national day commemorating the evacuation of the last French soldier at the end of the French mandate of Syria on 17 April 1946 after Syria's proclamation of full independence in 1941.
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