This monthly
recap of March 2010 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.
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or monthly email newsletters.
Mexico Bicentennial Public Holiday Update (Source: NTR Zacatecas-México) - Summary: The President of Mexico's Senate Committee on Legislative Review, Alejandro Zapata Perogordo, has announced that he would introduce new legislation to exceptionally observe this year's Revolution Day public holiday on Monday, November 22, 2010. Links: full story and other Mexico news and updates.
Fiji Scraps 2 Annual Public Holidays (Source: Fiji Broadcasting Corporation-Suva) - Summary: Fiji's Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, has announced that Fiji's Cabinet had decided to remove 2 annual public holidays from the list of official annual public holidays in Fiji. Links: full story and other Fiji news and updates.
Lebanon Announces Upcoming Easter Public Holidays (Source: iLoubnan-Beirut) - Summary: The Cabinet of the government of Lebanon has issued an official memo declaring that all public institutions will remain closed on April, 2nd, 3rd and 5th, of 2010, on the occasion of the upcoming Easter holidays. Links: full story and other Lebanon news and updates.
Georgia Declares Nowruz Public Holiday (Source: Trend News-Tbilisi) - Summary: Georgia's President, Mikheil Saakashvili, has declared tomorrow, Sunday, March 21, 2010, an official non-working public holiday in Georgia, on account of that day's Nowruz, spring equinox, holiday. Links: full story and other Georgia news and updates.
Nepal Declares Tomorrow A Public Holiday (Source: Reuters-Kathmandu) - Summary: Following the death, this morning, of Nepal's former prime minister, Girija Prasad Koirala, the government of Nepal has declared tomorrow, Sunday, March 21, 2010, a public holiday. Links: full story and other Nepal news and updates.
Pakistan Declares Regional Public Holiday Tomorrow (Source: Government of Sindh-Karachi) - Summary: The government of Pakistan's Province of Sindh has announced that tomorrow, Saturday, March 20, 2010, would be a regional non-working public holiday in connection with the martyrdom day of Soriah Badishah Hazrat Pir Sibghatillah Shah Shaheed. Links: full story and other Pakistan news and updates.
Turkmenistan Extends Upcoming Novruz Public Holidays (Source: Turkmenistan Government Information Agency-Ashgabad) - Summary: During this week's meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, has announced that he had signed a decree extending the 2-day annual Novruz, Spring Holiday, public holiday for a 3rd day, Tuesday, March 23, 2010. Links: full story and other Turkmenistan news and updates.
Philippines Declares May 10 Public Holiday (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer-Manila) - Summary: Philippines President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has signed Proclamation 2020, declaring May 10, 2010, the date of the upcoming national elections, a special public non-working holiday throughout the country. Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
Nicaragua Announces Holy Week Public Sector Holidays (Source: Ministerio del Trabajo de Nicaragua-MITRAB) - Summary: Nicaragua's Minister of Labour, Jeannette Chávez Gomez, has announced that the government public sector of Nicaragua would be on public holidays for the entire upcoming Holy Week, that is to say, from Saturday, March 27, until Sunday, April 4, 2010, inclusively. Links: full story and other Nicaragua news and updates.
Chile Bicentennial Public Holidays Update (Source: La Segunda-Santiago) - Summary: The recently nominated executive secretary of Chile's Bicentennial committee, Julio Dittborn, has announced that his proposal for 2 additional public holidays to mark this year's Chilean bicentennial has the approval of many in Congress as well as that of the new President of Chile. Links: full story and other Chile news and updates.
Fiji Postpones March 22 Public Holiday (Source: Radio Fiji-Suva) - Summary: Fiji's Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, has announced that, as a consequence of the recent passage of Hurricane Tomas, the National Youth Day public holiday, set for next Monday, March 22, 2010, has now been declared a normal workday and school day. Links: full story and other Fiji news and updates.
India Declares March 22 Bihar Divas Public Holiday (Source: The Bihar Times-Patna) - Summary: The government of India's State of Bihar has announced a new public holiday, Bihar Day (Bihar Divas), to be celebrated on March 22, annually. Links: full story and other India news and updates.
Fiji Declares Cyclone Bank Holiday Tomorrow (Source: Reserve Bank of Fiji-Suva) - Summary: The Reserve Bank of Fiji (Fiji's Central Bank) has declared Monday, March 15, 2010, a one-off public holiday for all financial institutions in Fiji. Links: full story and other Fiji news and updates.
Thailand Rules-Out March 15 Public Holiday (Source: The Bangkok Post-Bangkok) - Summary: A spokesman for Thailand's acting government, Panithan Wattanayagorn, has announced that Thailand's cabinet had decided not to declare a one-off public holiday on Monday, March 15, 2010. Links: full story and other Thailand news and updates.
Nepal Declares Ghodejatra Public Sector Holiday (Source: eKantipur-Kathmandu) - Summary: Nepal's Home Ministry has announced that it had decided to declare Monday, March 15, 2010, a one-off public sector holiday in all the government offices, in the Kathmandu Valley, to mark the Ghodejatra festival. Links: full story and other Nepal news and updates.
UK Promised New Public Holiday (Source: The Times-London) - Summary: The UK's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has promised a new annual public holiday (or "bank holiday" as public holidays are called in the UK) called "Pride in Britain Day", but only once economic recovery from the current downturn is secure. Links: full story and other UK news and updates.
Argentina To Nationalize School Holidays (Source: El Diario de Madryn-Madryn) - Summary: Argentina's minister of education, Mirtha Romero, has confirmed that it plans to eliminate all provincial public holidays from the list of Argentine's school holidays. Links: full story and other Argentina news and updates.
Ecuador Adds Diversity Holiday (Source: Prensa Latina-Quito) - Summary: Ecuador's Asamblea Nacional (parliament) has passed a bill that declares a new annual, September 19, national holiday to commemorate the birth anniversary of indigenous leader Tránsito Amaguaña. Links: full story and other Ecuador news and updates.
Argentina Bicentennial Public Holidays Update (Source: 0223.com-Mar del Plata) - Summary: The mayor of Mar del Plata, has met with Argentina's Interior Minister, Florencio Randazzo, yesterday, to join his voice to the chorus of politicians asking him to enact a one-off public holiday on Monday, May 24, 2010. Links: full story and other Argentina news and updates.
Costa Rica Declares Holy Week Public Sector Holidays (Source: La Nación-San José) - Summary: Costa Rica's Minister of the Interior, Rodrigo Arias, has announced that Costa Rican public sector workers and government agencies would benefit from public holidays during the entire upcoming Holy Week, that is to say, from Saturday, March 27, until Sunday, April 4, 2010, inclusively. Links: full story and other Costa Rica news and updates.
Honduras Declares Holy Week Public Sector Holidays (Source: La Tribuna-Tegucigalpa) - Summary: The government of Honduras has announced that public sector employees would get the entire Holy Week as public holidays, thus benefitting from public holidays from March 27 to April 4, 2010. Links: full story and other Honduras news and updates.
Iraq Announces Upcoming Regional Public Holidays (Source: Kurdistan Regional Government-Erbil) - Summary: The secretary of Iraq's Kurdistan Region National Assembly, Muhammad Khoshnaw, has confirmed that Thursday, March 11, and Sunday, March 14, 2010, would be regional public sector holidays throughout Kurdistan. Links: full story and other Iraq news and updates.
Guernsey May 9th 2010 Might Not Be Public Holiday (Source: Channel Online-St. Peter Port) - Summary: The States of Guernsey (the Guernsey Government) are considering declaring this year's May 9th a regular working day to compansate the extra public holiday on Monday, May 10, 2010. Links: full story and other Guernsey and Alderney news and updates.
Rwanda Re-Declares March 8 Public Holiday (Source: The New Times-Kigali) - Summary: During a cabinet meeting chaired by Rwanda's President, Paul Kagame, yesterday, it was decided that Monday, March 8, 2010, would be an official non-working public holiday. Links: full story and other Rwanda news and updates.
Kazakhstan Adds Day To Novruz Public Holidays (Source: Kazakhstan Today-Astana) - Summary: The government of Kazakhstan has added one day, Wednesday, March 24, 2010, to this year's Novruz public holidays. Links: full story and other Kazakhstan news and updates.
Thailand Could Declare March 12 Public Holiday (Source: Bangkok Post-Bangkok) - Summary: There are reports in Thailand's press that the Government of Thailand might declare a one-off public holiday on Friday, March 12, 2010, 2 days before the date when the opposition "red-shirts" rally is to be held in Bangkok. Links: full story and other Thailand news and updates.
Ghana Confirms March 6 and 8 Public Holidays (Source: Ghana News Agency-Accra) - Summary: Ghana's Minister of the Interior, Martin Amidu, has confirmed that that Saturday, March 6, 2010, would be a statutory public holiday. Links: full story and other Ghana news and updates.
Togo Declares March 4 Public Holiday (Source: Etiame-Lome) - Summary: The government of Togo has declared the date of the upcoming Presidential elections, Thursday, March 4, 2010, as a one-off electoral public holiday. Links: full story and other Togo news and updates.
Iraq Declares Additional Electoral Public Holidays (Source: Aswat al-Iraq-Baghdad) - Summary: The Council of Ministers of Iraq's Province of Kurdistan region has announced official regional public holiday from Thursday, March 4, until Monday, March 8, 2010, inclusively, in response to a request from the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). Links: full story and other Iraq news and updates.
Anguilla Confirms March 2 Public Holiday (Source: Anguilla Express-The Valley) - Summary: The new Anguillan cabinet of Chief Minister Hubert Hughes has announced in Parliament that Tuesday, March 2, 2010, will be a public holiday to honor the father of the nation, James Ronald Webster. Links: full story and other Anguilla news and updates.
Mexico Bicentennial Public Holiday Update (Source: NTR Zacatecas-México) - Summary: The President of Mexico's Senate Committee on Legislative Review, Alejandro Zapata Perogordo, has announced that he would introduce new legislation to exceptionally observe this year's Revolution Day public holiday on Monday, November 22, 2010. Links: 
Fiji Scraps 2 Annual Public Holidays (Source: Fiji Broadcasting Corporation-Suva) - Summary: Fiji's Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, has announced that Fiji's Cabinet had decided to remove 2 annual public holidays from the list of official annual public holidays in Fiji. Links: 
Lebanon Announces Upcoming Easter Public Holidays (Source: iLoubnan-Beirut) - Summary: The Cabinet of the government of Lebanon has issued an official memo declaring that all public institutions will remain closed on April, 2nd, 3rd and 5th, of 2010, on the occasion of the upcoming Easter holidays. Links: 
Georgia Declares Nowruz Public Holiday (Source: Trend News-Tbilisi) - Summary: Georgia's President, Mikheil Saakashvili, has declared tomorrow, Sunday, March 21, 2010, an official non-working public holiday in Georgia, on account of that day's Nowruz, spring equinox, holiday. Links: 
Nepal Declares Tomorrow A Public Holiday (Source: Reuters-Kathmandu) - Summary: Following the death, this morning, of Nepal's former prime minister, Girija Prasad Koirala, the government of Nepal has declared tomorrow, Sunday, March 21, 2010, a public holiday. Links: 
Pakistan Declares Regional Public Holiday Tomorrow (Source: Government of Sindh-Karachi) - Summary: The government of Pakistan's Province of Sindh has announced that tomorrow, Saturday, March 20, 2010, would be a regional non-working public holiday in connection with the martyrdom day of Soriah Badishah Hazrat Pir Sibghatillah Shah Shaheed. Links: 
Turkmenistan Extends Upcoming Novruz Public Holidays (Source: Turkmenistan Government Information Agency-Ashgabad) - Summary: During this week's meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, has announced that he had signed a decree extending the 2-day annual Novruz, Spring Holiday, public holiday for a 3rd day, Tuesday, March 23, 2010. Links: 
Philippines Declares May 10 Public Holiday (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer-Manila) - Summary: Philippines President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has signed Proclamation 2020, declaring May 10, 2010, the date of the upcoming national elections, a special public non-working holiday throughout the country. Links: 
Nicaragua Announces Holy Week Public Sector Holidays (Source: Ministerio del Trabajo de Nicaragua-MITRAB) - Summary: Nicaragua's Minister of Labour, Jeannette Chávez Gomez, has announced that the government public sector of Nicaragua would be on public holidays for the entire upcoming Holy Week, that is to say, from Saturday, March 27, until Sunday, April 4, 2010, inclusively. Links: 
Chile Bicentennial Public Holidays Update (Source: La Segunda-Santiago) - Summary: The recently nominated executive secretary of Chile's Bicentennial committee, Julio Dittborn, has announced that his proposal for 2 additional public holidays to mark this year's Chilean bicentennial has the approval of many in Congress as well as that of the new President of Chile. Links: 
India Declares March 22 Bihar Divas Public Holiday (Source: The Bihar Times-Patna) - Summary: The government of India's State of Bihar has announced a new public holiday, Bihar Day (Bihar Divas), to be celebrated on March 22, annually. Links: 
Thailand Rules-Out March 15 Public Holiday (Source: The Bangkok Post-Bangkok) - Summary: A spokesman for Thailand's acting government, Panithan Wattanayagorn, has announced that Thailand's cabinet had decided not to declare a one-off public holiday on Monday, March 15, 2010. Links: 
UK Promised New Public Holiday (Source: The Times-London) - Summary: The UK's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has promised a new annual public holiday (or "bank holiday" as public holidays are called in the UK) called "Pride in Britain Day", but only once economic recovery from the current downturn is secure. Links: 
Argentina To Nationalize School Holidays (Source: El Diario de Madryn-Madryn) - Summary: Argentina's minister of education, Mirtha Romero, has confirmed that it plans to eliminate all provincial public holidays from the list of Argentine's school holidays. Links: 
Ecuador Adds Diversity Holiday (Source: Prensa Latina-Quito) - Summary: Ecuador's Asamblea Nacional (parliament) has passed a bill that declares a new annual, September 19, national holiday to commemorate the birth anniversary of indigenous leader Tránsito Amaguaña. Links: 
Costa Rica Declares Holy Week Public Sector Holidays (Source: La Nación-San José) - Summary: Costa Rica's Minister of the Interior, Rodrigo Arias, has announced that Costa Rican public sector workers and government agencies would benefit from public holidays during the entire upcoming Holy Week, that is to say, from Saturday, March 27, until Sunday, April 4, 2010, inclusively. Links: 
Honduras Declares Holy Week Public Sector Holidays (Source: La Tribuna-Tegucigalpa) - Summary: The government of Honduras has announced that public sector employees would get the entire Holy Week as public holidays, thus benefitting from public holidays from March 27 to April 4, 2010. Links: 
Iraq Announces Upcoming Regional Public Holidays (Source: Kurdistan Regional Government-Erbil) - Summary: The secretary of Iraq's Kurdistan Region National Assembly, Muhammad Khoshnaw, has confirmed that Thursday, March 11, and Sunday, March 14, 2010, would be regional public sector holidays throughout Kurdistan. Links: 
Guernsey May 9th 2010 Might Not Be Public Holiday (Source: Channel Online-St. Peter Port) - Summary: The States of Guernsey (the Guernsey Government) are considering declaring this year's May 9th a regular working day to compansate the extra public holiday on Monday, May 10, 2010. Links: 
Rwanda Re-Declares March 8 Public Holiday (Source: The New Times-Kigali) - Summary: During a cabinet meeting chaired by Rwanda's President, Paul Kagame, yesterday, it was decided that Monday, March 8, 2010, would be an official non-working public holiday. Links: 
Kazakhstan Adds Day To Novruz Public Holidays (Source: Kazakhstan Today-Astana) - Summary: The government of Kazakhstan has added one day, Wednesday, March 24, 2010, to this year's Novruz public holidays. Links: 
Ghana Confirms March 6 and 8 Public Holidays (Source: Ghana News Agency-Accra) - Summary: Ghana's Minister of the Interior, Martin Amidu, has confirmed that that Saturday, March 6, 2010, would be a statutory public holiday. Links: 
Togo Declares March 4 Public Holiday (Source: Etiame-Lome) - Summary: The government of Togo has declared the date of the upcoming Presidential elections, Thursday, March 4, 2010, as a one-off electoral public holiday. Links: 
Anguilla Confirms March 2 Public Holiday (Source: Anguilla Express-The Valley) - Summary: The new Anguillan cabinet of Chief Minister Hubert Hughes has announced in Parliament that Tuesday, March 2, 2010, will be a public holiday to honor the father of the nation, James Ronald Webster. Links: