Saudi National Day (Arabic: اليوم الوطني للمملكة العربية السعودية al-Yawm al-Waṭanī lil-Mamlaka al-ʿArabiyya as-Saʿūdiyya) is a public holiday in Saudi Arabia celebrated annually on 23 September to commemorate the proclamation that renamed the Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932 through a royal decree by King Abdulaziz ibn Saud.[1] It was founded in 1965 on its 33rd anniversary by King Faisal bin Abdulaziz in order to replace the Royal Seating Day and was made a public holiday by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in 2005. Saudi National Day is one of the three non-religious holidays observed in the country, other being the Saudi Founding Day and Saudi Flag Day.[2][3]

Saudi National Day
اليوم الوطني السعودية
The flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Official nameSaudi National Day
Observed bySaudi Arabia
TypeNational
SignificanceProclamation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
EndsThe day after
Date23 September
Next time23 September 2024 (2024-09)
FrequencyAnnual
First time1965; 59 years ago (1965) (at official levels)
2005; 19 years ago (2005) (as national holiday)
Started byFaisal bin Abdulaziz

Establishment of Saudi Arabia edit

King Abdulaziz was able to conquer the oases of Riyadh in 1902; and al-Hasa in 1913, and by 1925, he unified both Nejd and the Hejaz after defeating the forces of Sharif Hussein. On 23 September 1932, King Abdulaziz changed the name of his realm to his family name, the House of Saud.

 
A Saudia Airbus A330 'Saudi National Day Livery' at Atatürk Airport, 2018

Customs edit

Saudi National Day[4] is celebrated with folk dances, songs, and traditional festivities. Roads and buildings are decorated with Saudi flags, and people wear the national colours of green and white, and display balloons in the same.[5]

Events and occasions on the same day edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "History". Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  2. ^ Eman Alhussein (1 June 2019). "Saudi First: How Hyper-Nationalism is Transforming Saudi Arabia" (PDF). European Council on Foreign Relations. JSTOR resrep21640. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  3. ^ Podeh, Elie (30 June 2011). The Politics of National Celebrations in the Arab Middle East. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-00108-4.
  4. ^ Albert, Robbin (10 August 2023). "National Day offer". Extra.com.
  5. ^ "Saudi Arabia marks national day with fireworks, and concerts". Muslim Global. Retrieved 24 September 2017.