Public holidays in Iraq

This is a list of public holidays in Iraq.[1][2]

Date Name Notes
January 1 New Year's Day
January 6 Army Day
March 21 Nowruz
May 1 Labour Day
July 14 Republic Day
October 3 National Day National Iraqi Day. Celebrates the independence of Iraq from the United Kingdom in 1932[3]
December 10 Victory Day Victory over Daesh ISIS.
December 25 Christmas Day
Muharram 1 Islamic New Year
Muharram 10 Ashura
Rabi' al-Awwal 12 The Prophet's Birthday
Shawwal 1 End of Ramadan (3 days)
Dhu al-Hijjah 10 Feast of Sacrifice (4 days)
Dhu al-Hijjah 18 Eid al-Ghadir

Special holidays

Iraq recognizes official religious holidays that apply exclusively to followers of those religions, these holidays include:[4]

Christianity

Judaism

Sabianism

  • 5-6 April: Eid al-Banja
  • 7-8 August: Eid al-Kabeer
  • 23 November: Eid al-Sagheer
  • Eid Wahna Lamafa

Yazidism

  • First Wednesday of April
  • 18-21 July
  • 23-30 September
  • First Friday of December

Other important dates

These are working days at the KRG Council of Ministers, and businesses are open. Special events take place around the Iraqi Kurdistan Region to mark these dates.[5]

  • 10 February: Kurdish Authors Union Day
  • 18 February: Kurdish Students Union Day
  • 1 March: Commemoration of Mustafa Barzani’s Death
  • 7 March: Liberation of Slemani City
  • 8 March: Women's Day
  • 10 March: Kurdish Clothes Day (Iraqi Kurdistan only)
  • 13 March: Liberation of Duhok City
  • 16 March: Halabja Day
  • 20 March: Liberation of Kirkuk City
  • 1 April: Assyrian New Year
  • 14 April: Commemoration of Anfal genocide against the Kurds
  • 16 April: Remembrance of Chemical Attack on Balisan and Sheikh Wasan
  • 25 April: Anniversary of First Cabinet of Kurdish Government (1993)
  • 13 June: Suleimaniah City Fallen and Martyrs Day
  • 11 December: Establishment of Kurdish Women’s Union

References

  1. ^ "Iraqi president signs controversial holiday law". Shafaq News. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  2. ^ "الرئيس العراقي يقرر إضافة يومين إلى الأعياد الوطنية.. وثيقة". شفق نيوز (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  3. ^ "Iraq Public Holidays in 2021 - Calendarific". Calendarific.com. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  4. ^ "بغداد اليوم تنشر قانون العطل الرسمية في العراق (وثيقة) » وكالة بغداد اليوم الاخبارية". وكالة بغداد اليوم الاخبارية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  5. ^ "National holidays and key dates in the Kurdistan Region's history". Cabinet.gov.krd. Retrieved 15 January 2022.