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UAE long weekends and holidays: When is the next paid day off in 2023?
The next national holiday in the UAE is expected to be on Friday, September 29, to mark Prophet Mohammed’s [PBUH] birthday.
Mawlid al-Nabi, as the Prophet’s [PBUH] birthday is known in Arabic, is commemorated during the third month of the Islamic calendar.
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The Islamic occasion is expected to fall on Wednesday, September 27, though the public holiday will be observed two days later.
This will enable all those who work a Monday to Friday weekly schedule to enjoy an extended weekend since the following days – Saturday and Sunday – are part of weekend days off.
There are two more national holidays in the UAE for 2023: Commemoration Day (or Martyrs Day), to honor those who died in military service to the nation, and National Day, marking the formation of the country.
Commemoration Day in 2023 falls on Friday, December 1, and will be followed by the UAE National Day on December 2, which this year has fallen on a Saturday. With Sunday, December 3, being part of the weekend, it will allow UAE residents the benefits of yet another long weekend.
National Day is celebrated every year in UAE on December 2 to mark the day in 1971 when six of the seven emirates were unified under the guidance of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE. The seventh emirate, Ras al-Khaimah, had joined the union five weeks later.
National Day celebrations typically involve fireworks, fun fairs, motor shows and parades across the country. This year will mark the UAE’s 52nd National Day.
UAE residents enjoyed numerous long weekends and paid leaves in 2023, starting with New Year’s Day on January 1 and followed by
Eid al-Fitr from April 20-23, Arafat Day on June 27, Eid al-Adha from June 28-30, and the Islamic New Year on July 21.
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