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This monthly
recap of May 2008 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.
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Date |
Country |
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27-May-2008 |
Nepal |
 Nepal Confirms May 28-30 Public Holiday (Source: Nepal News) As we had surmised on May 22, the 3 days of May 28-30 have been declared a public holiday to mark the first Constituent Assembly. In addition all schools will also be closed from May 28-30, inclusively. Links: other Nepal news and updates.
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27-May-2008 |
Jamaica |
 Jamaica To Consider More National Heritage Public Holidays (Source: Jamaica Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports) The Chairman of the Jamaica National Bicentenary Committee, Professor Verene Shepherd, has called for an expansion of the national heritage calendar to embrace all the critical moments in the country's history that have helped to shape the nation. Such dates might include the commemoration of the last ship with African slaves to arrive at the Kingston on February 17; the passage of the Trans-Atlantic Trade in Africans (TTA) Abolition Act on March 25; the anniversary of the outbreak Tacky's war on April 8; the trial of Sam Sharpe on April 19; the Frome massacre day on May 2. Links: other Jamaica news and updates.
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26-May-2008 |
Brazil |
 Brazil's Parliament To Consider Adding 3 Easter-Related Public Holidays (Source: Agência Câmara-Brasilia) A draft bill (Lei 2846/08) by deputy Wellington Fagundes (PR-MT) has gone into commission. It purports to officially add Carnival Tuesday to the list of national public holidays in Brazil (it is currently only an unofficial holiday taken by the civil service and many, but not all, companies) as well as Good Friday and Corpus Christi. The draft law would have the official Carnival public holiday set to always occur on the first Tuesday of March, rather than follow the Christian calendar. Links: other Brazil news and updates.
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24-May-2008 |
Dominican Republic |
 Dominican Republic To Consider Making Labour Day Public Holiday Non-Movable (Source: El Nuevo Diario-Santo Domingo) Leading union leaders have submitted a draft law to the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Julio César Valentín, to amend law 139-70, which currently moves the May Day/Labour Day public holiday to adjoin the nearest weekend, so that in the future, the Labour Day public holiday would remain on the set date of May 1st. Links: full story and other Dominican Republic news and updates.
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24-May-2008 |
Kosovo |
 Kosovo Adopts "Law on Official Holidays" (Source: Koha Ditore-Pristina) Yesterday, after 3 days of intense negotiations, the Assembly of the Republic of Kosova finally adopted the Law on Official Holidays, incorporating with different names the three holidays requested by Albanian deputies; March 6, June 12, and November 28. Links: full story and other Kosovo news and updates.
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23-May-2008 |
Lebanon |
 Lebanon Declares May 26 Public Holiday To Celebrate End Of Presidential Stalemate (Source: Middle East Times) President-elect, Gen. Michel Suleiman, has agreed with Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, to declare Monday, May 26, 2008, a one-off national public holiday to celebrate the election on Sunday of Lebanon's next President, hence ending a political stalemate that had left Lebanon without a President since November 2007. Links: other Lebanon news and updates.
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23-May-2008 |
Nepal |
Nepal Readies For 3-Day CA Convention Public Holiday (Source: Telegraph Nepal) The government of Nepal is planning to declare a 3-day public holiday on the occasion of the May 28, upcoming Constituent Assembly Convention, which is expected to formally declare Nepal a federal democratic republic, thus ending 240 years of monarchy. Links: other Nepal news and updates.
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22-May-2008 |
China |
 China Confirms 3-Day Dragon Boat Festival (Source: Shanghai Daily) The State Council of China has declared Monday June 9, 2008, the day after the Dragon Boat Festival, as an additional public holiday, making the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival a 3-day public holiday. Links: other China news and updates.
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21-May-2008 |
Fiji |
 Fiji Announces Official List of 2009 Public Holidays (Source: Government of Fiji) The Fiji Governing Cabinet has approved the list of the dates of public holidays for the year 2009. The list pins-down, for 2009, the always uncertain local dates for the Prophet's Birthday, Diwali, and Youth Day, and the announced list also contains some exceptions to the days in lieu rules. Links: other Fiji news and updates.
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20-May-2008 |
Ghana |
 Ghana Declares Day In Lieu For Africa Day Public Holiday (Source: Modern Ghana) Through an Executive Instrument signed by the President, Monday, May 26, 2008, has been declared a day in lieu public holiday to commemorate Africa Day which falls on Sunday, May 25, in 2008. Links: other Ghana news and updates.
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19-May-2008 |
Kosovo |
Kosovo Passes Law Defining Public Holidays (Source: Novosti) The government cabinet of Kosovo has adopted a law setting forth the list of official public holidays in Kosovo. As expected, February 17, the date of Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence, was made into the new republic's National Day, while June 15, the day its new constitution is expected to be approved, will be Constitution Day. Links: full story and other Kosovo news and updates.
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16-May-2008 |
Zimbabwe |
 Zimbabwe Likely To Declare June 27 Public Holiday (Source: Associated Press) Earlier today, the Zimbabwe electoral commission announced that a run-off election between Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai will be held on Friday, June 27, 2008. As is usually the case, we expect the government to declare that date as a one-off public holiday. Links: other Zimbabwe news and updates.
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16-May-2008 |
Bénin |
 Benin Declares May 22 Public Holiday (Source: Panafrican News Agency-PANA) The government of Benin has declared Thursday, May 22, 2008, as a one-off public holiday to allow Beninese citizens to pay their last tribute to Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, who died Tuesday in Paris at the age of 86. Links: other Bénin news and updates.
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15-May-2008 |
Kuwait |
 Kuwait Declares 3-Day Public Holiday To Mourn Former Emir (Source: Arab Times) Following the death its Father Amir Sheikh Saad Al-Abdallah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti government has announced three days of national mourning which will be observed by both the public and private sectors. Links: full story and other Kuwait news and updates.
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15-May-2008 |
Australia |
 West Australia's Parliament To Consider Renaming Foundation Day Public Holiday (Source: The West Australian-Perth) A private member’s Bill was introduced to the WA State Parliament, proposing to change the name of the first Monday in June, Foundation Day public holiday to Western Australia Day. Links: other Australia news and updates.
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14-May-2008 |
Dominican Republic |
Dominican Republic Extends Presidential Election Public Holiday (Source: Presidency’s Press Office) The press office of the has announced decree 193-08 which extends the usual May 16 presidential election public holiday by a half-day. The afternoon of Thursday, May 15 will therefore be a public holidays, as well as Friday the 16th. Links: other Dominican Republic news and updates.
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14-May-2008 |
Bangladesh |
 Bangladesh Moves Upcoming Buddha Purnima Public Holiday To May 19 (Source: Bangladesh Ministry Of Religious Affairs) The Bangladesh Ministry Of Religious Affairs (MORA) has decided to move the upcoming Buddha Purnima public holiday, originally scheduled for Tuesday, May 20th, to Monday, May 19, 2008, instead. Links: other Bangladesh news and updates.
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14-May-2008 |
Cambodia |
 Cambodia Considering New June 15 Public Holiday (Source: Phnom Penh Post + Bangkok Post) The government of Cambodia is considering a new national holiday on June 15 to mark the 1962 anniversary of the International Court in The Hague deciding that the temple of Preah Vihear lies within Cambodian territory. Links: other Cambodia news and updates.
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12-May-2008 |
France |
 France's Parliament To Debate May 9th Public Holiday (Source: AFP + Le Figaro) France's Prime Minister, François Fillon, recently indicated that Parliament would consider making May 9th an annual public holiday in France (most likely replacing the current May 8th public holiday). Links: other France news and updates.
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10-May-2008 |
Sri Lanka |
 Sri Lanka's LSSP Wants To Restore May 22 Republic Day Public Holiday (Source: The Daily Mirror-Colombo) The presidency of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) is calling for a restoration of the May 22, Republic Day public holiday, which commemorates the adoption of a new constitution in 1972, and which was celebrated as an official public holiday between 1972 and 1977. Links: other Sri Lanka news and updates.
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10-May-2008 |
Luxembourg |
 Luxembourg's PM Proposes Europe-Wide Annual May 9th Public Holiday (Source: JDD + Europe 1) During a recent radio interview, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Juncker, proposed that May 9th be made an annual public holiday throughout Europe. Jean-Claude Juncker, is considered German Chancellor Angela Merkel's favorite candidate for the newly created office of president of the European Council. Links: other Luxembourg news and updates.
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9-May-2008 |
Netherlands Antilles |
 Netherlands Antilles Adds December 15 Annual Public Holiday (Source: The Daily Herald-St. Maarten) The Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles has agreed to a law amendment making December 15, Kingdom Day, a new official holiday. Links: other Netherlands Antilles news and updates.
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9-May-2008 |
West Bank and Gaza |
West Bank and Gaza May 15th One-Off Public Holiday (Source: Al-Hayat al-Jadeeda-West Bank) The Palestinian Authority has declared Thursday, May 15, 2008, as a one-off public holiday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Nakba, or Catastrophe, referring to the 1948 creation of the State of Israel. Links: other West Bank and Gaza news and updates.
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1-May-2008 |
Ecuador |
 Ecuador Changes Recuperation Date Of May 2nd Public Holiday (Source: Diario La Opinión) The signed decree (Decreto Ejecutivo 1046), declaring Friday, May 2nd, 2008, as a full national public holiday, was finally released and it stipulates that Saturday May 17, 2008, will be a regular working day in compensation for the bridge public holiday. Links: full story and other Ecuador news and updates.
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1-May-2008 |
Cameroon |
 Cameroon Declares May 2nd Bridge Public Holiday (Source: Cameroon Radio Television) Cameroon's President issued a decree making tomorrow, Friday, May 2nd, 2008, a one-off bridge public holiday. Links: other Cameroon news and updates.
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1-May-2008 |
Turkey |
 Turkey Declares May 1st De Facto Public Holiday In Istanbul (Source: Hürriyet) The Governor of Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, has declared a de facto public holiday for today, May 1st, 2008, as the city braces for an unauthorized march by labour unions in the Taksm area of central Istanbul. As consequence, the Istanbul subway will not function today, buses will not stop at Taksim, all roads leading into Taksim will be blocked to traffic, ferry service from the coastal districts of Besiktas, Kabatas or Karakoy will be suspended until the afternoon, and schools in the Beyoglu, Sisli and Okmeydani districts will be closed. Links: other Turkey news and updates.
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1-May-2008 |
Chile |
 Chile May 2nd Bridge Holiday To Be Generally Observed (Source: Cambio 21) Despite last summer's prolonged debate, the May 2nd día sandwich has arrived without any clear-cut decision by the government. Most schools will be off on May 2nd, most government services will be hard to reach. and as for the private sector, it seems that a sizable proportion have given Fridays, May 2nd, 2008, as a day off to their employees. Links: other Chile news and updates.
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