HOLIDAYS

Following the declaration of independence, the Colombians had ordered their army to march on Panama. 

On 5 November 1903, the locals in Colons managed to convince the Colombian forces stationed in Colon not to advance on Panama City. 

Without this action, it is possible that the Colombians may have gained a military advantage and quelled the independence movement.

It was created in 2004 and celebrates the liberation of Moscow from Polish troops in 1612, led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky. This event marked the end of the “time of troubles” and foreign intervention in Russia. It led to Mikhail Romanov’s accession to the throne.

Speaking in 2021, President Putin said: “National Unity Day marks a dramatic, life-changing period in the history of our country. In the early 17th century, Russia found itself on the brink of losing its sovereignty and could have disappeared from the European and world maps forever. However, the people of Russia did not let this happen. They came together in a volunteer army led by Minin and Pozharsky to defend their homeland, chase out the invaders and traitors, restore a strong state, and stop sectarian strife. They took on the task of saving the country and paved the way for Russia’s revival and strengthening.”

The event was marked by a public holiday which was celebrated in Russia on October 22nd from 1649 till 1917.

The name of the day is in recognition that all the classes of Russian society united to save Russia, even though there was no Tsar to lead them.

There are 193 peoples (tribes or ethnic groups) living in the territory of the country. Russia has a unique religious composition, with the three world religions represented –Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Russia has 277 languages and dialects. More than three dozen languages, along with Russian – which form part of the Russian Federation – are national

Ecuador’s Public Holidays provide a handy guide to this South American country’s road to independence from Spain.

Independence Day commemorates Quito’s declaration of independence in 1809, the first city to do so in Latin America. While that attempt proved unsuccessful, it paved the way for the nationalist movement that would sweep over Central and South America later that century.

Eleven years later, on October 9th 1820, Guayaquil declared its independence during the Ecuadorian War of Independence – this event is marked by another public holiday.

Cuenca,  the economic centre of the southern highlands, declared its independence on November 3rd 1820.

These declarations were important milestones in the war and gave momentum to the liberation of Quito.

After the war and independence, Cuenca became the capital of one of the three provinces that made up the newly-formed republic.

Cuenca is the third-largest city in Ecuador and the capital of the Azuay Province. The historic centre of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its many historical buildings.

The use of slaves on Mauritius was widespread. It began when the French took control of the island and established sugar cane plantations, which needed a large workforce of slaves.

By the time the British took control of the island in 1810, slaves accounted for around 80% of the island’s population with most from Madagascar and East Africa.

In February 1835, slavery was abolished in Mauritius. This instantly created a demand for replacement labour on the plantations.

The solution was to use indentured workers. Effectively indentured workers would work as slaves, but only for the term of their contract, after which they would be freed. This process started in Mauritius and was expanded to other parts of the British Empire.

Between 1834 and 1920, half-a-million indentured immigrants (labourers and their families) arrived on Mauritius, with 97% of the immigrants coming from India. The first labourers, called coolies, arrived from Calcutta (Kolkata) on November 2nd 1834.

A commission to look at the practice of indenture first took place in 1872, though it was 1924 before the practice was abolished.

In 1849 an immigration depot was built at Trou Fanfaron, Port Louis, where the coolies lived for two days before heading out to the sugar estates. It was listed as a national monument and renamed to Apravasi Ghat in 1989.

In 2006, the depot, seen as a symbol of human endurance, was included in Unesco’s list of world heritage sites.

The need to disclose ethnic identity was dropped from the census in 1982, so there are no official figures, but over 60% of Mauritians have ancestors from the Indian subcontinent.

This holiday on the anniversary of that first arrival in 1834 celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Indian population and their contribution to Mauritian society.

From the start of the sixteenth century, Algeria had been under the partial rule of the Ottoman Empire. In 1830, the country was invaded by France. The conquest of Algeria was a long and bloody affair, and unusually for French foreign territories, Algeria’s status was that it was treated as being part of France rather than as a colony.

Emigration from Europe to Algeria was encouraged by the French, with tribal lands confiscated by the French government and Europeans even becoming the majority of the population in some cities like Algiers.

In the middle of the twentieth century, local resentment to the presence of France by the local Muslim population led to the uprising known as the ‘Red (bloody) All Saints’ Day’ (French: Toussaint Rouge).

On November 1st1954, the Christian festival of All Saints’ Day, 70 individual coordinated attacks were made on police and military targets across Algeria by the National Liberation Front (FLN). These attacks signaled the start of the Algerian War. The events of November 1st 1954 became known as the ‘Red (bloody) All Saints’ Day’ (French: Toussaint Rouge).

While France won the conflict and regained control of the country, the brutality of the suppression of the revolution further alienated the Algerians and resulted in a loss of support for France’s control of Algeria, both in France and abroad. This change in attitude directly led to independence from Algeria on July 5th 1962.

In November 2025, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI decreed that October 31st of each year will be a national holiday, designated as “Aid Al Wahda” (Unity Day in English), according to a statement from the Royal Cabinet.

The royal proclamation marks the adoption of a United Nations Security Council resolution that supports the Kingdom’s position on the Western Sahara issue, which has been widely described in the news as a “Sahara Victory at the UN.” The move is intended to underscore Morocco’s national unity and sovereign identity.

The Security Council resolution renewed for one year the mandate of the long-standing United Nations peacekeeping mission in the disputed Western Sahara, referencing Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal presented in 2007 — which envisions the territory as self-governing under Moroccan sovereignty — as a basis for negotiations.

The resolution is historic as it directly and explicitly joined the growing momentum in support of the Moroccan initiative as the basis to end the dispute under Morocco’s sovereignty.

The creation of “Unity Day” adds a significant new date to the nation’s calendar, reinforcing the importance of the UN’s resolution and its implications for the region. Unity Day will serve as a unifying occasion to celebrate national unity and the Kingdom’s territorial integrity, and it will also be a day on which the King grants royal pardons.

Nevada Day commemorates the admission of the state of Nevada into the union on October 31st 1864, when it became the 36th state in the union. 

The words ‘battle born’ appear on the state flag, as Nevada gained its statehood during the American Civil War.

As Nevada Day is a state holiday, all state, county and city government offices will close, along with most schools and libraries. Private businesses can close at their discretion. The US Post Office will be open as will most banks and public transport will operate on nearly normal schedules.

The name ‘Nevada’ is Spanish and means ‘snow-covered’.

The biggest event to mark Nevada Day is the parade in downtown Carson City, the state capital of Nevada. The Nevada Day Parade is the state’s oldest and most historical event, and with the exception of Hawaii and West Virginia, Nevada hosts the only admission day activity of its kind in the country.

Informal celebrations of this holiday began in the 1870s when it was called Admission Day. Nevada Day became a state holiday in 1933 the State Legislature passed a bill, introduced by Senator Ira L. Winters of Carson City designating Oct. 31st as “Nevada Day” as well as a discretionary holiday. Parades and pageants commemorating Nevada’s history along with the usual gatherings of pioneers were among the festivities.

Following the defeat of the Ottomans in World War I, the allies occupied Turkey as part of the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire.

An uprising of Turkish nationalists led to the Turkish war of independence (1919 -1923). The allies left Turkish regions in July 1923.

Mustafa Kemal, the leader of the Turkish troops was named the first president on October 29th 1923 when the First Grand National Assembly declared Türkiye to be a republic officially in the new capital, Ankara, at the First Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Building.

On the same day, it was decided by the parliament to celebrate with 101 guns. 

In 1934, Kemal was given the title Atatürk, which means ‘Father of the Turks’.

A republican constitution was adopted the following April. Islam remained the state religion for several years, though this was eventually removed from the constitution in April 1928, making Turkey a secular state. Turkey remained a single-party government until 1945.

For the Turkish people, Republic Day is one of the national holidays where national unity and solidarity and social solidarity are at the highest level. It was essential to determine a new form of administration in order to eliminate the administrative vacuum that emerged after the War of Independence, which ended with the victory of the Turkish nation.

The area of Czechoslovakia had been a part of the Austro Hungarian Empire until the Empire collapsed at the end of the first world war. The Czech speaking areas of Bohemia and Moravia had been under Austrian rule while Slovakia was part of Hungary.

Before the first world war, there had been nationalist movements in both the Czech lands and Slovakia. Despite the Czech area being an industrialised region and Slovakia being a mainly agricultural-based country, the two regions took the opportunity to become a new nation.

‘Czechoslovak’ independence was proclaimed in Prague’s Wenceslas Square on October 28th 1918. The president of the ‘First Republic’ was Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, who was the leader of the nationalist movement outside the Austro Hungarian Empire.

Known as the Festival of Lights, Thadingyut is the second most popular festival in Myanmar after Thingyan Festival.

Maya, the mother of Buddha died a week after Buddha was born. She was reborn in the Trayastrimsa Heaven as a god named Santusita. To honour his mother, Buddha ascended to the Trayastrimsa Heaven and preached from the Abhidhamma texts to Santusita for three months. 

The full moon of the month Waso (Dhammasetkya Day) marks the ascent by Buddha and the start of the three month period of Buddhist Lent, when the monks retreat to their monasteries. During this time, monks dedicate themselves to meditation and study. During Buddhist Lent, marriages are forbidden and many people give up meat and alcohol. Buddhist lent often coincides with the rainy season in Myanmar.

The full moon in Thadingyut marks Buddha’s return to earth and signifies the end of Buddhist Lent.

Thadingyut is called the festival of lights as the followers of Buddha lit up their houses and temples to mark the return of Buddha. Towns and villages across Myanmar will be illuminated in honour of this auspicious event.

The Declaration of Neutrality was a declaration by the Austrian Parliament declaring the country permanently neutral. It was enacted on October 26th 1955 as a constitutional act of parliament.

The declaration was a direct result of the allied occupation by the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and France between 1945 and 1955. The Soviet Union would not have agreed to the signing of a State Treaty in May 1955 if Austria had not committed itself to declare its neutrality after the allied forces had left the country. The final foreign troops left Austria on October 25th 1955.

Since 1955, neutrality has become a deeply ingrained element of Austrian identity. Legally, Austrian neutrality is both a part of the Austrian constitution and of international law. There is some debate as to whether Austria could change this neutral status on its own account and whether Austria is still truly neutral, given it is a member of the EU.

Retrocession Day is the annual observance to commemorate the end of Japanese rule of Taiwan and Penghu and the claimed return of Taiwan to the Republic of China on October 25th 1945.

The Battle of Guningtou, also known as the Battle of Kuningtou or the Battle of Kinmen, was fought in October 1949 on the island of Kinmen, located in the Taiwan Strait, during the final stages of the Chinese Civil War. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the Republic of China forces and marked a significant turning point in the civil war.

October 24th is a public holiday throughout the Pakistani state of Azad Jammu Kashmir. 

The Founding Day is celebrated in commemoration of the date of establishment of the state and freedom from the Dogra regime on this day in 1947.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir, abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir, is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entity and constituting the western portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947.

In Muzaffarabad, the day begins with a 21 gun salute. The main function are held at Parade Ground, where the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir hoists the national flag.

Special prayers are offered in mosques for the integrity and prosperity of Pakistan and the early liberation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the end of the Second World War, Hungary had increasingly come under the control of their liberators from Germany, the Soviet Union.

Following democratic changes in Austria, some Hungarians had hoped for similar concessions in their country, but those hopes were quashed with the establishment of the Warsaw Pact in 1955, placing Hungary behind the so-called ‘Iron Curtain’. Demanding democratic changes and the withdrawal of Soviet forces, Hungarian students held a demonstration in Budapest on October 23rd 1956. The demonstration drew popular support and the crowds grew and similar protests broke out across Hungary. This led to the Soviets deploying tanks on the streets of Budapest in an attempt to take back control. Violent rebellion then erupted in all parts of Hungary, with uprisings removing the local government. A new democratic government ousted the ruling communist party.

On October 28th the Soviets called for a cease-fire, withdrew their troops and pledged to re-establish free elections.

However, on November 3rd 1956, the Soviets changed their minds. The new government was arrested and within a week the Soviet military had crushed the rebels and the short-lived revolution was over.

It may be known in some regions as Vijayadashami and in parts of southern India, it is known as Dasara. Other regional spellings include Dashera and Dussera.

As this is a ten day festival based on a lunar date with many important days and also because it has many different names in the various regions on India, it is difficult to determine when each region has a holiday. On this site, we show the date of the tenth day and you can assume that most regions will observe this a public holiday.

In India, the festival of Dussehra symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.

The festival traditionally represents the legend of Rama and Ravana.

Ravana, the demon king, abducted the beloved Princess of India, Sita.

The Lord Rama rescued the Princess, proving victorious over the powerful and evil King Ravana.

In 1929 the economic ravages of the Great Depression were being felt worldwide, including Central America. It caused high levels of unemployment and unrest in Guatemala.

To stop the country descending into chaos, the Guatemalan authorities needed someone to take control and give strong leadership. They looked to Jorge Ubico, who had earned a hardman reputation as a provincial governor. Ubico won the 1931 elections, which wasn’t a great shock to the pollsters given he was the only candidate.

Ubico set about his task of improving the country’s economic fortunes and imposed an over-zealous and punitive set of labour laws.

He effectively militarised the country, by making each provincial governor a general and putting military officers in charge of many government posts.

During the second world war, he gave support to the Americans (mainly to annoy Mexico) but that didn’t stop him openly admiring the achievements of European fascists such as Franco in Spain and Mussolini in Italy.

Napoleon Complex

It’s not known what posters if any, the teenage Ubico had on his bedroom wall, but Napoleon would have been a safe bet as he was like a dog with a Bonaparte when it came to Napoleon. Ubico considered himself to be “another Napoleon”. He surrounded himself with statues and paintings of Napoleon, regularly commenting on the similarities between their appearances. Though he wasn’t particularly short – but then neither was Napoleon, despite what British propaganda might have us believe.

While the country was under Spanish rule, a military parade was held whenever a new governor-general took office in Santiago. The First Government Junta’s formal inauguration took place in the city on September 19th 1810, as the first military parade of the new nation.

The National Army of Chile was created on December 2nd 1810, by order of the First National Government Junta.

The Day of the Glories of the Chilean Army was established in 1915. On September 28th 1819, a parade with all the nation’s army units was held to celebrate the victory in the Chilean War of Independence. 

President Joaquin Prieto ordered a military exercise on La Pampilla fields in 1831, and President Manuel Bulnes obtained lands in the Pampilla area for annual military parades in 1842, leading to its transformation into a military installation in 1845. This land became O’Higgins Park in 1873 following the efforts of Luis Cousiño, who was inspired by European parks and decided to infuse a similar design with Chilean features. He commissioned Manuel Arana to design it, and Arana included the Field of Mars that has been used in the annual military parades since.

The purpose of this holiday is to remember all those who have fought in Chilean battles, in which the country has been victorious or defeated; the courage and courage of those who protected the country and its inhabitants are remembered.

The Chilean Army is one of the most technologically advanced and professional armies in the Americas.

Note that the Chilean Navy has its own public holiday. The Day of the Glories of the Chilean Navy is observed on May 21st and marks the date of the battle of Iquique on that day in 1879.

On September 18th 1810, Chile broke from Spanish rule, declaring their independence. The Spanish had ruled Chile since the middle of the 16th Century. The movement to independence had been driven by other South American countries revolting against colonial rule, the French and Spanish warring in Europe and the appointment of an unpopular Governor in 1808.

While Chileans celebrate their independence on September 18th, their declaration in 1810 was the start of a long struggle and the Chilean war of Independence lasted for eight years before Chile could officially proclaim independence on February 12th 1818. Indeed, it wasn’t until 1826 when the last Spanish troops holding out on a remote island finally surrendered to Chilean forces.

At 7,500 feet, (2,286 metres) above sea level, Chile’s Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth.

With Independence Day being immediately followed by another public holiday (Day of the Glories of the Chilean Army), the whole week around these two days tends to be a period of celebration. Many schools and some companies will declare a week-long holiday.

The events around the struggle for Independence are remembered with the ‘Fiestas Patrias’ (national parties). These fiestas include parades (often including ‘huasos’, the traditional Chilean cowboys), dancing, partying, traditional Chilean food, and displays of national pride.

Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala was born on September 17th 1985. 

The prince became the heir apparent to the throne in 2012 when his father, King Tupou VI, ascended to the throne.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho married in July 2012. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tukuʻaho have four children. A son, Prince Taufaʻahau Manumataongo, born 10 May in 2013; and three daughters Princess Halaevalu Mataʻaho, born on 12 July 2014, Princess Nanasipau’u born 20 March 2018, and Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu, born 25 February 2021.

Tonga is the only sovereign indigenous monarchy in Oceania. 

In Tongan mythology, the Polynesian Sun god, Tangaloa, pulled the islands of Tonga from the sea using a tortoiseshell and a whalebone fishhook. During the god’s expedition, the shell and hook ripped an opening in the islands of Naupapu. This fishing line snapped, causing pieces of the island to fall into the sea, leaving Tonga as it is today.

It commemorates 16 September 1963, when the former British colony of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, joined the Federation of Malaya to create the Malaysian Federation.

Singapore only remained in the federation for two years, leaving on 9 August 1965.

Originally this date was planned for 1 June 1963, but it was delayed twice; once to 31 August to make it coincide with an older national day, and then delayed again to allow referendums to take place in certain regions.

Malaysia Day has only been a national holiday since 2010. On announcing this holiday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the day would involve activities that would foster the Malaysia spirit and would be celebrated with formal events such as a parade to commemorate the historical moment. He added that it should remind the Malaysian people about their struggle in achieving independence. 

On 31 August, Malaysians celebrate Independence Day (Merdeka Day), so it is unusual for a country to effectively have two independence day holidays.

The territory of modern Guatemala was once the heart of the Maya civilization, which extended across Mesoamerica. 

Most of the country was conquered by the Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado in the first half of the 16th century, becoming part of the viceroyalty of New Spain.

Guatemala was the original source for potatoes, corn, chili peppers, and avocados.

In the first decade of the nineteenth century, Spain had been weakened by its involvement in the Peninsular War in Europe and local juntas had been created as local Spanish had revolted against the rule of King Joseph, Napoleon’s brother who was installed as ruler of Spain by the French in 1808.

This taste for independent rule persisted after King Ferdinand came to the Spanish throne and on September 15th 1821, the Act of Independence of Central America was declared by the Province of Guatemala.

Following independence and despite opposition from El Salvador, the regions became part of the Mexican Empire, until they ceded to become the Federal Republic of Central America in 1823.

Nowadays the idea that a private individual from another country could turn up and effectively conquer your country seems highly unlikely, but this is what happened in Nicaragua in 1856.

William Walker was an American who organised private military expeditions into Latin America. He wanted to establish English-speaking colonies under his control. Walker and his followers were known as “filibusters”.

The term “filibuster” is Spanish and was used to describe the Pirates who raided the coast of South America in the 18th and 19th centuries. You can see how it fitted what Walker was doing. Its modern use in English means delaying a political process in order to stop it.

Taking advantage of a civil war in Nicaragua, Walker and a modest force of 38 troops, conquered the key city of Granada and took control of the country in April 1956. His rule was even recognised as legitimate by the then U.S. President, Franklin Pierce.

The Battle of San Jacinto took place on the September 14th 1856 in Hacienda San Jacinto, Managua, Nicaragua between 160 soldiers of the Legitimist Septemtrion Army led by Colonel José Dolores Estrada versus 300 of Walker’s filibusters.  The filibusters were defeated by Colone Estrada after four hours of combat.

While the victory did not defeat Walker, it was the first significant victory for the legitimists and would prove to be the beginning of the end of the reign of the usurper.

A coalition of Central American armies finally ousted Walker from power in May 1857. He was arrested and repatriated to the U.S.