This monthly
recap of April 2003 worldwide public holidays news and updates, covers all the countries
of the world, and is based on our daily review
of hundreds of online newspapers, government sites, and institutional sources,
and over a decade of experience following
worldwide public holidays, to place current events in context, and anticipate on
possible future changes.
Available as
free weekly
or monthly email newsletters.
Paraguay Keeps Labour Day Public Holiday On Fixed Date (Source: Ministerio del Interior) - Summary: The President of Paraguay has issued Decree 20.973/03 by which he announces that he will not move the upcoming May 1st public holiday from Thursday, May 1, 2003, to Monday, May 5, 2003, as the law permits him to do (el Poder Ejecutivo no hará uso de la facultad conferídale). Links: full story and other Paraguay news and updates.
China Cancels Weeklong May Public Holidays (Source: Xinhua News Agency) - Summary: The General Office of China's State Council has announced that it had decided to suspend the May Day, weeklong, Golden Week, public holidays "to reduce the flow of people across large areas so as to prevent the spread of SARS". Links: full story and other China news and updates.
Macau Declares 2 Additional Public Holidays (Source: Portal do Governo da RAEM da República Popular da China-Macau) - Summary: Macau's Chief Executive has declared 2 one-off, half-day, public holidays for the afternoon of January 21 and December 31, 2004. Links: full story and other Macau news and updates.
Guyana Assembly To Consider 2 New Public Holidays (Source: Government Information Agency-GINA) - Summary: Guyana's Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj, has announced that during the Seventh Sitting of the Eighth Parliament, starting next week, he would move a motion for the Assembly to establish a Special Select Committee to review Guyana's list of official public holidays. Links: full story and other Guyana news and updates.
Singapore 2003 Deepavali Public Holiday Date Change (Source: Singapore Ministry of Manpower) - Summary: The Singapore Ministry of Manpower has announced that the upcoming Deepavali would fall on Friday, October 24, 2003. Links: full story and other Singapore news and updates.
Philippines Declares April 19 Public Holiday (Source: DOLE News-Malacañang) - Summary: On April 2, Philippines' President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has signed Proclamation No. 354 declaring April 19, 2003, the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, as a special non-working public holiday throughout the country. Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
Honduras Amends Public Holidays Legislation (Source: Gaceta Oficial) - Summary: Honduras' President, Ricardo Maduro, has signed into law Decreto 50-2003 which moves fixed date public holidays that fall mid-week to the following Monday. Links: full story and other Honduras news and updates.
Kazakhstan Declares May 2nd Bridge Public Holiday (Source: Kazakhstan Today News Agency-Almaty) - Summary: The Kazakh government has passed a resolution which declares Friday, May 2, 2003, as a one-off bridge public holiday, to be observed jointly with the annual May 1st, People's Unity Day, public holiday which falls on a Thursday this year. Links: full story and other Kazakhstan news and updates.
Greece Declares Public Holiday For EU Enlargement Ceremony (Source: AP Worldstream) - Summary: Earlier today, Government spokesman Christos Protopapas, announced that Wednesday, April 16, 2003, had been declared a one-off public holiday in Greece. Links: full story and other Greece news and updates.
Paraguay Keeps Labour Day Public Holiday On Fixed Date (Source: Ministerio del Interior) - Summary: The President of Paraguay has issued Decree 20.973/03 by which he announces that he will not move the upcoming May 1st public holiday from Thursday, May 1, 2003, to Monday, May 5, 2003, as the law permits him to do (el Poder Ejecutivo no hará uso de la facultad conferídale). Links: 
China Cancels Weeklong May Public Holidays (Source: Xinhua News Agency) - Summary: The General Office of China's State Council has announced that it had decided to suspend the May Day, weeklong, Golden Week, public holidays "to reduce the flow of people across large areas so as to prevent the spread of SARS". Links: 
Macau Declares 2 Additional Public Holidays (Source: Portal do Governo da RAEM da República Popular da China-Macau) - Summary: Macau's Chief Executive has declared 2 one-off, half-day, public holidays for the afternoon of January 21 and December 31, 2004. Links: 
Guyana Assembly To Consider 2 New Public Holidays (Source: Government Information Agency-GINA) - Summary: Guyana's Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj, has announced that during the Seventh Sitting of the Eighth Parliament, starting next week, he would move a motion for the Assembly to establish a Special Select Committee to review Guyana's list of official public holidays. Links: 
Singapore 2003 Deepavali Public Holiday Date Change (Source: Singapore Ministry of Manpower) - Summary: The Singapore Ministry of Manpower has announced that the upcoming Deepavali would fall on Friday, October 24, 2003. Links: 
Philippines Declares April 19 Public Holiday (Source: DOLE News-Malacañang) - Summary: On April 2, Philippines' President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has signed Proclamation No. 354 declaring April 19, 2003, the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, as a special non-working public holiday throughout the country. Links: 
Honduras Amends Public Holidays Legislation (Source: Gaceta Oficial) - Summary: Honduras' President, Ricardo Maduro, has signed into law Decreto 50-2003 which moves fixed date public holidays that fall mid-week to the following Monday. Links: 
Kazakhstan Declares May 2nd Bridge Public Holiday (Source: Kazakhstan Today News Agency-Almaty) - Summary: The Kazakh government has passed a resolution which declares Friday, May 2, 2003, as a one-off bridge public holiday, to be observed jointly with the annual May 1st, People's Unity Day, public holiday which falls on a Thursday this year. Links: 
Greece Declares Public Holiday For EU Enlargement Ceremony (Source: AP Worldstream) - Summary: Earlier today, Government spokesman Christos Protopapas, announced that Wednesday, April 16, 2003, had been declared a one-off public holiday in Greece. Links: