What are the Public Holidays in Kuwait(2024) ?
Kuwait- a rich and culturally vibrant country celebrates a number of festivals that reflect its traditions and religious beliefs. As we embark into Kuwait’s public holidays we find a calendar that depicts its historical significance and importance.
From celebrating the beginning of the year with extreme joy to celebrating religious festivals including Eid-al-Fitr, Arafat Day, and Islamic New Year, each public holiday holds its own importance in the Kuwait holiday calendar. In this blog, we will delve into a diverse tapestry of public holidays in Kuwait.
Read the full blog to deep dive into your understanding of Kuwait’s public holidays.
Here is the list of public holidays in Kuwait in 2024:
| Date | Weekday | Holiday |
| 1 January, 24′ | Monday | New Year |
| 25 February, 24′ | Sunday | Kuwait National Day |
| 26 February, 24′ | Monday | Kuwait Liberation Day |
| 8-10 April, 24′ | Monday-Wednesday | Eid-al-Fitr |
| 15-16 June, 24′ | Saturday-Sunday | Waqfat Arafat Day |
| 16-19 June, 24′ | Sunday-Wednesday | Eid-al-Adha |
| 6-7 July, 24′ | Saturday-Sunday | Islamic New Year |
| 15 September, 24′ | Sunday | Prophet’s Birthday |
Here are the details of Kuwait Public Holidays 2024:
New Year (January 1, 2024)
Kuwait marks December 31 and January 1 as public holidays on the occasion of the New Year. New Year’s Day is the first day of the year and it falls exactly one week after Christmas Day of the previous year. It is celebrated across the country with fireworks, parades and road shows. The concept of New Year is a modern practice that is derived from the Britain culture across the country. Many people took the New Year as an opportunity to make new resolutions seeking a better and fresh start. The concept of New Year is nearly 4000 years old.
Kuwait National Day (February 25, 2024)
Kuwait National Day is celebrated in Kuwait on February 25 every year. This day marks the victory of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah as the ruler of Kuwait in 1950. Establishing himself as a powerful and exceptional leader he also signed a treaty that protected Kuwait from the rule of Britain. During his rule, the Constitution of Kuwait and the Parliament of Kuwait were also established. The people of Kuwait celebrate this day with excitement and joy. Moreover, public events are also held in parks, restaurants and beaches. Kuwait National Day itself has a great history.
Kuwait Liberation Day (February 26,2024)
Kuwait Liberation Day is celebrated in Kuwait on February 26 every year. It is a day off for the general public and most of the businesses and corporations are inoperational on this day. This day marks the liberation of Kuwait from Iraq during the Gulf War in 1991. A military operation was organized to retake the position from Iraq. Today Kuwait enjoys its position as a wealthy, safe and almost crime-free country. However, some foreigners doubt the safety in Kuwait because of the past incidents that happened in Kuwait. This day is celebrated by gathering at Kuwait Tower where people express gratitude and patriotism towards their nation.
Eid-al-Fitr (April 8-10, 2024)
Eid-al-Fitr falls on April 8-10 in Kuwait in 2024. This festival is considered one of the holy festivals for Muslims around the world. It is a day off for everyone around the world and most businesses and corporations are inoperational these days. It is also considered one of the most important festivals in the Islamic calendar. This festival marks the end of Ramadan(month of fasting) for Muslims worldwide. The exact date of Eid-al-Fitr varies in different countries as the date depends on the lunar cycle and the sighting of the moon. Eid-al-Fitr is also referred to as the “Festival of breaking the fast” because Muslims break their fast after a month of continuous fasting during Ramadan.
Waqfat Arafat Day (June 15-16, 2024)
Waqfat Arafat Day is a public holiday in the Kuwait region. It falls on June 15-16 2024 in Kuwait. Most businesses and corporations observe the holiday on this day. It is observed on day nine of the last month as per the Islamic calendar. The dates of Waqfat Arafat Day can vary in different countries as it depends on the lunar cycle of the moon. Waqfat Arafat Day holds the utmost importance in Islam as people believe that the prophet Muhammad gave his final sermons on Mount Arafat. People offer prayers to the Almighty on this day and it is also known as the day of forgiveness in Islamic history. The whole day is spent in prayer and fasting.
Eid-al-Adah (June 16-19, 2024)
Eid-al-Adah is a public holiday in Kuwait. It is a day off for the general public and most businesses and corporations are closed on this day. It falls on the tenth day in the final month of the Islamic calendar. This day is celebrated by performing prayers to the almighty. On this day Muslims sacrifice sheep, goats or any other animal to the Almighty to honor their devotion. People also exchange best wishes by quoting “Eid-Mubarak” to each other. The distribution of food, clothes and money to the needy is also a key tradition of this festival. This festival holds the utmost importance in the Islamic calendar
Islamic New Year (July 6-7, 2024)
Islamic New Year also known as Hirji New Year or Arabic New Year. It is the first day of Muharram. It is recognized as a public holiday in Kuwait and many other countries. This festival has a flourishing history of Muhammad who instructed his followers from Mecca to Medina (300 kilometers journey). The date of the Islamic New Year may vary in other countries as it is based on the lunar sighting of the moon. People also lit lanterns on this holy festival which signifies the month of Muharram. It is a time for reflection, prayers and contemplation. Muslims attend special prayers that are organized at Mosques. Many Muslims also read and preach the holy teachings of the Quran on this day.
Prophet’s Birthday (September 15, 2024)
The Prophet’s Birthday is celebrated on September 15 every year. It is marked as a public holiday for the general public, business houses as well as corporations. As the Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles, the date of this festival may vary in other countries. Some Muslims also fast during this day which is another way to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday. As per the Islamic tradition, the 12th day of the Islamic calendar month of Rabi AL Awwal is the Prophet’s birthday. Moreover, this festival is celebrated with the teachings of the Quran and religious lectures. The teachings of the Quran serve as a guide highlighting the teachings of an ideal life.
Summing Up
So these are all the public holidays celebrated in Kuwait. Most of the businesses and corporations are closed on these days to celebrate and mark their importance.
All the above-mentioned public holidays are applicable in Kuwait. So if you are looking to plan your holidays and vacations with your near and dear ones you can use this calendar as a reference. Moreover, organizations and HR professionals can use the calendar to plan the holidays for their employees accordingly.
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* The above mentioned dates are preliminary and subject to change. We will modify them upon receiving updates.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
The public holidays of Kuwait includes New Year, Eid-al-Fitr, Islamic New Year, Eid-al-Adha, Prophet’s Birthday, Kuwait National Day etc.
Weekends in Kuwait are held on Fridays and Saturdays. That is important for a number of reasons.
Official working days in Kuwait Sunday to Thursday & Friday -Saturday is weekend day’s.
Public holidays in Kuwait are celebrated with parades, road shows, rituals and prayers offered to the Almighty.