Celebrating National Days all over the World

SaraP

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CALENDAR

January

1st - Haiti (Independence Day)
26th - Australia (Australia Day)
26th - India (Republic Day)
26th - Uganda (NRM Anniversary Day)


February

6th - New Zealand (Waitangi Day)
23nd - Guyana (Republic Day)


March

1st - Wales (St. David's Day)
17th - Ireland (St. Patrick's Day)
25th - Greece (Day of Revolution Against the Ottoman Empire)


April


19th - Venezuela (Independence Day)
23rd - England (St. George's Day)
25th - Australia (Anzac Day)
25th - New Zealand (Anzac Day)
25th - Portugal (Freedom Day)
27th - South Africa (Freedom Day)
30th - The Netherlands (Queen's Birthday)


May

3rd - Poland (Constitution Day)
4th - The Netherlands (Remembrance Day)
5th - The Netherlands (Liberation Day)
8th - Czech Republic (Liberation Day - end of the Prague Uprising)
17th - Norway (Constitution Day)
18th - Haiti (Flag Day)
3rd Monday - Canada (Victoria Day)
25th - Argentina (Day of the Homeland/Day of the Revolution)
25th - Jordan (Independence Day)
26th - Guyana (Independence Day)


June

3rd - Uganda (Ugandan Martyr's Day)
5th - Denmark (National Day)
6th - Sweden (Nation Day)
9th - Uganda (Hero's Day)
20th - Argentina (Flag Day)
24th - Venezuela (Birth of Simón Bolívar)
25th - Sweden (Midsummer Solstice)


July


1st - Canada (Canada Day)
1st - Hong Kong (Day of Joyful Reunification with the Glorious Motherland)
4th - USA (Independence Day)
5th - Czech Republic (Sts. Cyril and Methodius Day)
5th - Venezuela (Independence Declaration)
6th - Czech Republic (Jan Hus Day)
9th - Argentina (Independence Day)
14th - France (Bastille Day)
20th - Colombia (Independence Day)
23rd - Egypt (National Day)
23rd - Oman (National Day)
24th - Venezuela (Battle of Carabobo)


August

14th - Pakistan (Independence Day)
15th - India (Independence day)
17th - Indonesia
20th - Hungary (St. Stephen's Day)
31st - Malaysia (Independence Day)


September

7th - Brazil (Independence Day)
16th - Malaysia (Malaysia Day)
18th - Chile (Independence Day)
28th - Czech Republic (St. Wenceslas Day - Czech Statehood Day)


October


1st - China + Hong Kong (National Day)
1st - Nigeria (Independence Day)
3rd - Germany (Day of German Unity)
5th - Portugal (Republic Day)
9th - Uganda (Independence Day)
17th - Oman (Omani Woman's Day)
28th - Czech Republic (Independent Czechoslovak State Day)
28th - Greece (Day of OXI)


November


11th - Canada (Remembrance Day)
11th - Poland (Independence Day)
15th - Brazil (Proclamation of the Republic)
17th - Czech Republic (Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day)
18th - Haiti (Battle of Vertières)
18th - Oman (National Day)
30th - Scotland (St. Andrew's Day)

December

1st - Romania (National Day)
6th - Finland (Independence Day)
16th - South Africa (Reconciliation Day)
17th - Venezuela (Death of Simón Bolívar)
 
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SaraP

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I was reading a blog this morning by ... hmmm ... a certain someone *coughpoetinahatcough* when I noticed Australia celebrates April 25th as Anzac Day, when it is also Freedom Day in Portugal.

It came to me that while I know what the 4th of July is, as I'm guessing just about everyone does (even those not american), that is probably the only national day that I know of outside of my own country.

So, I thought we could set up a Calendar of sorts here in the District and share our countries' National Days.

I'll start. :)


Here in Portugal, our biggest National Day is, without a doubt, the 25th of April. Known as Freedom Day, it celebrates the day in 1974 when the dictatorship was finally overthrown in a peaceful military coup. Holding red carnations, the people joined in the coup and since then, those flowers have become the most recognizable symbol for this day. You can read more about the coup here.

We also celebrate Republic Day, on the 5th of October, after the coup in 1910 when the king was overthrown. You can read the little entry Wiki has on this here. Although not as widely celebrated as April 25th, it is still a national holiday.
 
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Fenika

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Oh, good idea.

I'll let someone else cover the US, known or not ;) and I'll share Poland's Independence Day.

November 11th has been celebrated by Poles as their day of independence since 1919 and became an official holiday in 1937.

From The Polish Culture Website (UK):
In 1918, after 123 years of occupation, the Polish state was reborn and regained its independence. Autumn 1918 marked the end of World War I and the defeat In 1918, after 123 years of occupation, the Polish state was reborn and regained its independence. Autumn 1918 marked the end of World War I and the defeat of all three occupiers. Russia was plunged into the confusion of revolution and civil war, the multinational Austro-Hungarian monarchy fell apart and went into decline and the Germans bowed to pressure from the forces of the Entente.


The Poles rose up against the invading nations to reclaim their land.

To commemorate the formation of an independent centre of authority in reborn Poland, 11th November, the day when Józef Pilsudski took power, was officially recognized as a national holiday in 1937.


More details on the website and here.
 
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SaraP

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Thanks Fenika!

I'll update my first post with the dates for the Calendar. :)
 

Xelebes

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3rd Monday of May - Victoria Day (Canada) - to commemorate the birthday of Queen Victoria, who granted us the creation of Canada.
July 1 - Canada Day (Canada)
Nov 11 - Remembrance Day (Canada) - to remember the victory and loss of WWI.
 

Fenika

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Oh, there's a calendar. Nice. :)

Poland also has a Constitution Day or Święto (Holiday) Konstytucji.

Constitution Day occurs on May 3rd and commemorates the signing of the constitution in 1791. This was the first constitution in Europe and the second in the world, after the Americans.

[The constitution] gave a new and modern way of ruling the country as we know it today with a separation of the functions of law making and the application of the law and the judging of citizens of the country. Such a division created a modern and democratic country, the first of its kind in Europe. Amongst many changes the peasants were promised a certain amount of freedom and the influence of the nobles was limited. The political system changed the Polish ruling system from a Parliamentary Monarchy to Constitutional Monarchy. New and very modern reforms were implemented and Poland finally had a chance to strengthen her independence and become one of the important and modern nations in Europe. However, the Russian ruler Catherine II with the connivance the Polish nobility (they were not happy with the changes that limited their influence) betrayed the nation which led to war with the Russians (1772) with Poland divided into Russian occupied areas and Austrian occupied areas and at the second Partition, Prussian occupied areas (1793). In 1795, with the Third Partition, Poland was removed from the map of Europe not to be reinstated until 1918.

The commemoration of the Constitution of 3rd of May is a very patriotic one. This is a symbol that this nation achieved something when together its people worked and united for their country. Courageous and controversial decisions had to be made (the limiting of the power of one group of people and increasing the influence of another). This was the only way that a modern and strong country could be created and this is why this date was so symbolic for Polish people during all the 123 years when Poland was under the rule of Prussian, Russian and Austrian invaders (1795-1918), then the Nazi occupation (1939-45) and finally the Russian occupation (1945-1989).

Source: The Visitor.
 

Caitlin Black

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Wow, Constitution Day in Poland is same day as my birthday (May 3rd). :D

I'll add Australia Day - January 26th. That and Anzac Day, which you already have, are the 2 big ones in Aus, apart from Christmas and Easter.

:)
 

pdr

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New Zealand

Feb 6th - Waitangi Day

April 25th ANZAC Day

1st weekend in June - Queen's Birthday

Last weekend in October - Labour day

November 11th - Poppy Day ( Remembrance day for those killed in the world wars)
 

poetinahat

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I was born in Puerto Rico. As a consequence, my family has always celebrated Three Kings' Day (aka Epiphany) on January 6, the twelfth day of Christmas, with small gifts.
 

SaraP

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I know in Spain children don't really care about Christmas. The good stuff comes on King's Day too. We do a minor celebration here, with King's Cake (omg, sooooo yummy).
 

SaraP

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Feb 6th - Waitangi Day

April 25th ANZAC Day

1st weekend in June - Queen's Birthday

Last weekend in October - Labour day

November 11th - Poppy Day ( Remembrance day for those killed in the world wars)

Hey pdr,

Can you explain a bit about Waitangi day?

Also, is the queen's birthday something related to the present queen?

Lastly, I'm not going to add Labour Day. We have that here too. I'm looking for the days that celebrate our country, not so much national holidays, make sense? :)
 

Billingsgate

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It came to me that while I know what the 4th of July is, as I'm guessing just about everyone does (even those not american), that is probably the only national day that I know of outside of my own country.
Not quite everyone knows what 4th of July means to Americans. Though I've met more than one American in Hong Kong who was surprised at first when they found out it isn't a holiday there. I suppose that's conditioning, since we Americans are raised to believe that the entire world either is or desperately longs to be American.

Hong Kong is ordered to celebrate July 1 as the Day of Joyful Reunification with the Glorious Motherland. I simply call it Anschluss Day. We also get a day off on October 1, which is China's National Day.
 

pdr

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You mean you don't know?

:)
Waitangi Day is the vip national holiday.

It celebrates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi where most of the indigenous Maori chiefs signed a Treaty along with the new Pakeha settlers representatives. The Treaty was made in Queen Victoria's name and was meant to promise a peaceful coexistence between races.

Generally speaking it did!

ANZAC = Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. National holiday for the poor sods who got done in at Galippoli during WWI. We share the day with the Ozzies and have a dawn service of remembrance at the local cenotaphs.

Queen's Birthday is our winter national holiday weekend celebrating QEII's birthday.
 

10trackers

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Let's see...

April 30th, we have Koninginnedag, which is the birthday of our Queen (even though it hasn't been her actual birthday for decades).

May 4th, we have Dodenherdenking, the Remembrance of the Dead, the fallen soldiers and members of the resistance and other casualties of WWII.

May 5th, we have Bevrijdingsdag, the day we celebrate being free of zee Germans.

November 11th is Sint Maarten, some kind of saints b-day. Kids sing songs and carry lanterns and get candy because of that. It's a thing.

That's about it, I guess. We have a few that switch days every year, so no sense in making a fixed list, plus they're not that important anyway :D
 

SaraP

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Thanks, 10. I'll add those in ASAP.

Now that I've spammed my own forum, let's see what other dates we get. ;)
 

DrZoidberg

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Sweden:

1'st of May, "Första maj".

The International socialist workers day. We celebrate it because we're a very lefty country. Not to be confused with "labour day".

6'th of June "Sveriges nationaldag". This is our "nation day".

According to the myth, it's the day, in 1523, when our king Gustav Vasa was elected king after helping free us from the Danish. But we're not so sure on the dates. We didn't start to celebrate the date until, 1809 when parliamentarism was first introduced. Not democracy though. Historically it proved to be a pretty uninteresting political event. The Gustav Vasa myth was at this time dusted off to add some weight to the celebrations... and it sort of just hung on. Most Swedes don't celebrate on the 6'th of June. We didn't start to get a day off work until 1996 and there's no real traditions associated with it. People mostly just treat it as any day off work. I think the king does something traditional, but hardly anybody cares. I don't.

25 Jun, "Midsommarafton", Midsummer solstice.

This is a pagan holdover. There are very strong traditions connected with it. We go out into the country, we make a midsummer pole, have traditional foods, (lots of pickled herring) and get sloshed on aquavit. Very Viking. Very Pagan. In practice this is our main national holiday.

edit:
24'th December.

I thought I'd mention "Jul", ie Yule. It used to be a pagan holiday. But apart from the name everything else has been completely "lost" to imported Christian Christmas, symbols and traditions.
 
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emilycross

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Ireland:

St Patrick's Day - 17th March is our biggest annual festival celebrating our the nation's patron saint.

Easter - Ireland has large Catholic population so religious holidays used to be quite significant. Public holiday for Easter.

December 8th - National Cultchie shopping day (unofficially). Used to be holy day that signalled start of xmas season. Now, it's seen as a day where people from country go up to the Dublin city and shop.

Dec 26th - St. Stephen's day, unlike our neighbour UK we call this day St. Stephen's day rather than boxing day.

Halloween aka Oiche Samhain - 31st October. Originally a celtic pagan holiday, but was changed into all saints/souls day during christian times although lot of the traditions carried on like jackolanterns (with turnips then pumpkins when emmigrants went to America).

We use St. Patrick's day as a type of independence day due to our complicated history.
 
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Dec 26th - St. Stephen's day, unlike our neighbour UK we call this day St. Stephen's day rather than boxing day.
Boxing Day isn't the 26th December. It's the first weekday after Christmas. This year, it falls on Monday 27th. The latest it can occur is the 28th.

Also, I started a thread in OP for St Andrew's Day on the 30th November. Same patron saint as Greece, which is why both flags have a saltire on it.
 

Raphee

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14th August....Independence Day.

Theres some more but I guess this one is good.
 

whimsical rabbit

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Greek greatest national days:

28th October: Day of "ΟΧΙ" which means "NO". Our big NO to the Nazis. No, you cannot have the country for free. :D

25th March: Day of revolution against the Ottoman Empire. The beginning of freedom. Perhaps the most important date in Greek history.
 

maxmordon

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April 19- Venezuelan Independence Day
July 5- Venezuelan Independence Declaration
June 24- Birth of Simón Bolívar
July 24- Battle of Carabobo
December 17- Death of Simón Bolívar