National Day in Kuwait
National Day is a holiday in Kuwait that’s observed every year on February 25th. It commemorates the day when Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah ascended to the throne in 1950. Since this holiday falls on the day before Liberation Day in Kuwait, the two holidays are usually celebrated as one long 2-day holiday.
Kuwait (Official holiday)On this holiday, there are huge public gatherings organized by various organizations and the government, and there’s lots of food, drink, and entertainment. There are also firework displays and many people will dress in traditional costumes of the country or wearing the countries national colors.
The History Of National Day In Kuwait
Kuwait was originally a fishing village during the 17th century, but by the mid 18th century, it had become an important trading post in the region. The Al-Sabah family would become the rulers of the country in 1756. To avoid direct rule from the Ottoman Empire, Sheikh Mubarak would enter into an agreement with Great Britain to become a protectorate. Britain would provide the country with naval protection and Kuwait would allow the British to control their foreign affairs.
The British Protectorate would end on June 19, 1961, and Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah would become Kuwait’s Emir. The holiday wasn’t observed until 1962, and the decision to move it to February 25th instead of June 19th was because it’s simply too hot in June for large gatherings of people in Kuwait. So National Day would be moved to the date when the Sheikh came to power in 1950.
Observing National Day In Kuwait
As we said earlier, National Day is celebrated in conjunction with Liberation Day. During this 2-day event, people will gather at large public gatherings featuring food, drinks, and entertainment.
There are also parades and firework displays for people to enjoy. Large gatherings will take place at public venues such as Al-Sha’ab Leisure Park and Messila Beach. It also should be mentioned that the Kuwait flag is raised on this holiday, and people wear traditional clothing or national colors.
Kuwait (Official holiday)
