January 7, 2019: Coptic Christmas Day
Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ. Though in most countries, it’s celebrated on December 25th, the Orthodoxes in Egypt celebrate it on January 7th, which is also a public holiday. For the Copts, Christmas is the second most important Christian holiday after Easter.
January 25, 2019: National Police Day
January 25 marks National Police Day in Egypt. This holiday serves as a remembrance for a violent event on this day in 1952, in which many police officers were killed and wounded by the British after denying their commands to surrender in the Ismailia Police Station. Beginning in 2009, people began to observe this day.
January 25, 2019: 2011 Revolution Day
The popular revolution, which began on January 25, 2011, in Egypt was meant to protest against the lack of freedom, the state of emergency, and the increase of poverty. The origin of the Egyptian Revolution was actually the Tunisian Revolution. After 2011, January 25 became a public holiday in Egypt.
March 21, 2019: Mother’s Day
In Egypt, the Mother’s Day tradition is relatively recent; it began in the early twentieth century. The origin is attributed to the journalist Ali Amin. He proposed dedicating a day to be called “Mother’s Day” and asked that this day be a public feast in Egypt. It was decided that this day would be on March 21, as it is the first day of spring.
April 5, 2019: Orphans Day
Orphan’s Day in Egypt is celebrated on the first Friday in April. On this day, a lot of people visit orphanages and shelters in an attempt to make sure the orphans, especially children, aren’t alone.
April 25, 2019: Day of Liberation
This is celebrated every year on April 25th and commemorates one of the most important days in Egyptian history. On April 25th in 1982, the entire land of Sinai, except the city of Taba, was liberated from Israeli occupation.
April 29, 2019: Spring Festival
This festival dates back more than 4,700 years, to the era of the Pharaohs. It’s celebrated in spring, on the first Monday after Easter. Egyptians usually go out to celebrate in parks and on Nile cruises, to spend the whole day surrounded by nature and enjoying the scent of flowers blooming in the spring.
May 1, 2019: Labour Day
The celebration of Labor Day in Egypt includes a speech, delivered by the President in the presence of representatives of various labor unions. The President also honors the old labor and union leaders who had a positive effect in improving the conditions of workers. Besides the speech, TV stations present programs that raise awareness of the importance of workers’ rights.
June 4, 2019: Eid ul-Fitr
The Fast Breaking Feast is one of the most important festivals in the Islamic nation. It comes after the Ramadan thirty days of fasting. Muslims wait for this day to celebrate their efforts, spending time fasting, praying, and performing acts of obedience to God during that month.
June 30, 2019: June 30 Uprising
This recent holiday of remembrance serves as a commemoration for the uprising which took place on June 30, 2013. People were greatly displeased with the government run by their new leader Mohamed Morsi, and fought for change. People typically choose to mourn and remember those who were lost due to their participation in this uprising.
July 23, 2019: Revolution Day
This day commemorates the Egyptian Revolution of July 23, 1952. It’s celebrated in a variety of ways, especially with nationalistic concerts shown on TV and military parades.
August 11, 2019: Day of Arafah
The Day of Arafah is the ninth day in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, which is the twelfth month in the Islamic lunar calendar. On the Day of Arafah, pilgrims assemble on a mountain called Arafah, which is located near Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
August 12, 2019: Eid Al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
The Feast of the Sacrifice is the second most important festival in the Islamic nation. It falls on the day after the Day of Arafah, which is one of the most important Hajj rituals. The Feast begins with a prayer in the early morning, followed by the sacrifice of animals.
August 15, 2019: Flooding of the Nile
This is an ancient Pharaonic feast that was celebrated by the Pharaohs era. Egyptians are still celebrating it now. The date of the feast is related to the time of the flood of the Nile. It’s usually held during the second half of August every year.
August 30, 2019: Islamic New Year
The Hijri New Year, also known as Islamic New Year, is the day that marks the beginning of a new Islamic calendar year. It’s also the day on which the year count is incremented.
October 6, 2019: Armed Forces Day
Armed Forces Day is celebrated on October 6 and commemorates October 6, 1973, when the Egyptian army succeeded in restoring the dignity of all Egyptians and defeated the Israeli army that occupied Sinai. Usually celebrations of October 6 include the gathering of people in public squares and musical concerts where famous bands sing patriotic songs.
November 9, 2019: Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday
The Birth of the Prophet is a holiday in most Arab countries. Since it’s based on the Islamic calendar, its date differs from one year to another. Though in some countries it’s not a public holiday, it’s always celebrated as an expression of joy for the birth of the Prophet, the messenger of God.
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