WArmed Forces Day is observed in Bangladesh on 21 November. This signifies the day in 1971, when the members of the Bangladesh army, navy and air force were officially united and launched joint operations along with the people against the Pakistan occupation forces. On 16 December 1971, the Pakistani Army of 93,000 surrendered to the allied forces of Bangladesh Forces and Indian Army, ending the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
WThe Black Ribbon Day, officially known in the European Union as the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, is an international day of remembrance for victims of totalitarian regimes, specifically Stalinist, communist, Nazi and fascist regimes. Formally recognised by the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and some other countries, it is observed on 23 August. It symbolises the rejection of "extremism, intolerance and oppression" according to the European Union. The purpose of the Day of Remembrance is to preserve the memory of the victims of mass deportations and exterminations, while promoting democratic values to reinforce peace and stability in Europe. It is one of the two official remembrance days or observances of the European Union, alongside Europe Day. Under the name Black Ribbon Day it is also an official remembrance day of Canada, the United States and other countries. The European Union has used both names alongside each other.
WCinco de Mayo is an annual celebration held on May 5, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, the victory of a smaller, poorly equipped Mexican force against the larger and better-armed French army was a morale boost for the Mexicans. Zaragoza died months after the battle from an illness, and a larger French force ultimately defeated the Mexican army at the Second Battle of Puebla and occupied Mexico City.
WThe Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, is an annual Turkish national holiday celebrated on May 19 to commemorate Mustafa Kemal's landing at Samsun on May 19, 1919, which is regarded as the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence in the official historiography.
WCyrus the Great Day is an unofficial Iranian holiday that takes place on the seventh day of Aban, the eighth month of the Solar Hijri calendar, to commemorate Cyrus the Great, the founder of the ancient Achaemenid Persian Empire.
WThe Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice is a public holiday in Argentina, commemorating the victims of the Dirty War. It is held on 24 March, the anniversary of the coup d'état of 1976 that brought the National Reorganization Process to power.
WDay of Remembrance of the Victims of Political Repressions, is an annual day of remembrance for victims of political repression in the Soviet Union.
WDay of the Young Combatant is a non-official commemoration day, celebrated each March 29 in Chile. Its main purpose is remembering the assassination of brothers Rafael and Eduardo Vergara Toledo, which occurred on March 29, 1985 during the military dictatorship in Chile. The brothers were reportedly militants of a left-wing, anti-dictatorship insurgent group called MIR.
WThe Day to Mark the Departure and Expulsion of Jews from the Arab Countries and Iran is a Memorial Day that is marked in Israel every year starting in 2014, on November 30 with the purpose of marking the departure and expulsion of Jews from Arab countries and Iran. November 30 is the date that was chosen since it is symbolically the day following November 29, a day the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine was adopted, and when many communities of Jews in Arab countries and Iran started to feel the pressure and hostility from their Arab and Persian neighbors and as a result of that were forced to leave their countries. It is based on a law sponsored by MK Shimon Ohayon and passed in the summer of 2014 by the Knesset.
WThe Democracy and National Unity Day of Turkey is one of the public holidays in Turkey, commemorating the national unity against the coup d'état attempt for democracy in 2016. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in 27th Muhtars Meeting that, he and National Security Council recommended commemoration of veterans and martyrs of 15 July as "Democracy and Celebration of Freedom Day". Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım announced on 11 October 2016 that a new law has been prepared and opened for signatures. After formal procedures, 15 July became a national holiday as "Democracy and National Unity Day".
WFreedom Day is an unofficial holiday in Belarus celebrated on 25 March to commemorate the declaration of independence by the Belarusian People's Republic on that date in 1918. It is also known as the 25-aha sakavika day.
WFreedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa celebrated on 27 April. It celebrates freedom and commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held on that day in 1994. The elections were the first non-racial national elections where everyone of voting age of over 18 from any race group, including foreign citizens permanently resident in South Africa, were allowed to vote. Previously, under the apartheid regime, non-whites in general had only limited rights to vote while black South Africans had no voting rights whatsoever.
WThe International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is an international day celebrated August 23 of each year, the day designated by UNESCO to memorialize the transatlantic slave trade.
WThe International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, May 29, is "an international day to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication, and courage and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace."
WThe January Events, commonly referred to as Bloody Sunday, took place in Lithuania on January 11–13 1991 in the aftermath of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania. As a result of Soviet military actions, 14 civilians were killed and over 140 were injured. The events were centered in its capital, Vilnius, along with related actions in its suburbs and in the cities of Alytus, Šiauliai, Varėna, and Kaunas.
WJerusalem Day is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the June 1967 Six-Day War. The day is officially marked by state ceremonies and memorial services.
WLimba noastră is a public holiday in Moldova celebrated yearly on 31 August.
WMaaveerar Naal is a remembrance day observed by Sri Lankan Tamils to remember the deaths of militants who fought for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). It is held each year on 27 November, the date on which the first LTTE cadre, Lt. Shankar, is said to have died in combat in 1982. Traditionally oil lamps are lit for the three days ending on 27 November and the Tamil Eelam flag is raised at ceremonies. The symbol for Maaveerar Naal is the Gloriosa superba which blooms during November.
WMartyred Intellectuals Day is observed on 14 December in Bangladesh to commemorate those intellectuals who were killed by Pakistani forces and their collaborators during the 1971 Liberation War, particularly on 25 March and 14 December 1971. The killings were undertaken with the goal of annihilating the intellectual class of what was then East Pakistan. Two days after the events of 14 December, on 16 December, Bangladesh became independent through the surrender of Pakistani forces.
WNakba Day is the annual day of commemoration of the Nakba, also known as the Palestinian Catastrophe, which comprised the destruction of Palestinian society and homeland in 1948, and the permanent displacement of a majority of the Palestinian people. It generally commemorated on 15 May, the day after the End of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of the State of Israel in its place.
WNational Foundation Day is an annual national holiday in Japan on February 11, celebrating the foundation of Japan, enforced by a specific Cabinet Order set in 1966. February 11 is the accession date of the legendary first Emperor of Japan, Emperor Jimmu, converted into Gregorian calendar of 660 BC which is written in Kojiki and chapter 3 of Nihon Shoki. Coincidentally, February 11, 1889 is the day of the promulgation of the Meiji Constitution.
WThe National Sovereignty Day is a national public holiday of Argentina, celebrated during November 20. It commemorates the Battle of Vuelta de Obligado, when a small Argentine army stood against an Anglo-French navy that broke into the Paraná River on November 20, 1845, against the will of the Argentine Confederation. Although the battle itself ended with an Argentine defeat, the losses of Britain and France in the whole military campaign were so high that both countries were forced to the bargaining table and signed a treaty with Juan Manuel de Rosas. The day was enacted as a national observance in 1974, following a request from the revisionist historian José María Rosa, and promoted into a national holiday in 2010.
WNational Women's Day is a South African public holiday celebrated annually on 9 August. The day commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20,000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the country's pass laws that required South Africans defined as "black" under The Population Registration Act to carry an internal passport, known as a passbook, that served to maintain population segregation, control urbanisation, and manage migrant labour during the apartheid era. The first National Women's Day was celebrated on 9 August 1995. In 2006, a reenactment of the march was staged for its 50th anniversary, with many of the 1956 march veterans.
WNational Women's Day is celebrated in Tunisia every year on August 13. It commemorates the day of adoption of the Code of Personal Status in Tunisia, the 13th of August in 1956, the year of independence in Tunisia. The code enacted laws for the family that contain fundamental changes, the most important of which is the prohibition of polygamy, the withdrawal of guardianship from men and the making of divorce by the court instead of men.
WOccupation of the Latvian Republic Day is an official day of remembrance in Latvia and is observed on June 17. It commemorates the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940.
WOkinawa Memorial Day is a public holiday observed in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture annually on June 23 to remember the lives lost during the Battle of Okinawa. It is not celebrated nationally throughout Japan. The Battle of Okinawa was the only ground engagement of the Pacific War fought on Japanese soil. Over 240,000 lives were lost and numerous buildings on the island were destroyed along with countless historical documents, artifacts and cultural treasures. It is estimated that about the half of the war victims were local Okinawan residents, among them children.
WThe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, colloquially known as Orange Shirt Day, is a Canadian statutory holiday to commemorate the legacy of the Canadian Indian residential school system.
WPas-ta'ai, the “Ritual to the Short People”, is a ritual of the Saisiyat people, a Taiwanese aboriginal group. The ritual commemorates the Ta'ai, a tribe of short dark-skinned people they say used to live near them. The ritual is held every two years and all Saisiyat are expected to participate.
WPeace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week is an observance in the United States that pays tribute to the local, state, and federal peace officers who have died, or who have been disabled, in the line of duty. It is celebrated May 15th of each year. The event is sponsored by the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and is implemented by the FOP Memorial Committee.
WRepublic Day is a public holiday in Northern Cyprus commemorating the declaration of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on 15 November 1983. The annual celebrations start at 12:00 am on 14 November and continue in 15 November. On 15 November, celebrations are made in all districts of country and representatives from several countries, especially Turkey visits Northern Cyprus and attend the celebrations. Main celebration locations are the Kemal Atatürk Memorial in Nicosia, Nicosia Martyrs Memorial and tomb of Fazıl Küçük.
WRepublic Day is a public holiday in Turkey commemorating the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, on 29 October 1923. The annual celebrations start at 1:00 pm on 28 October and continue for 35 hours.
WThe Battle of Saragarhi was a last-stand battle fought before the Tirah Campaign between the British Raj and Afghan tribesmen. On 12 September 1897, an estimated 12,000 – 24,000 Orakzai and Afridi tribesmen were seen near Gogra, at Samana Suk, and around Saragarhi, cutting off Fort Gulistan from Fort Lockhart. The Afghans attacked the outpost of Saragarhi where thousands of them swarmed and surrounded the fort, preparing to assault it. Led by Havildar Ishar Singh, the 21 soldiers in the fort—all of whom were Sikhs—refused to surrender and were wiped out in a last stand. The post was recaptured two days later by another British Indian contingent.
WThe National Memorial Service for War Dead is an official, secular ceremony conducted annually on August 15, by the Japanese government at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. The ceremony is held to commemorate the victims of World War II. The first memorial ceremony was held on May 2, 1952.
WSoviet Occupation Day is a Memorial Day in the country of Georgia. It is observed annually on 25 February to commemorate the Red Army invasion of Georgia in 1921. The holiday was established in 2010, and its first observance was in 2011.
WTriumph of the Revolution also known as Liberation Day is a celebration in Cuba of the anniversary of the victory of the revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959 which established the present government in Cuba. The previous president, Fulgencio Batista fled the country on 31 December 1958. The holiday is celebrated on January 1st every year.
WTurkists Day is celebrated on 3 May since 1945 in memory of the rallies in defense of Nihal Atsız, who was prosecuted for defamation by Sabahattin Ali, whom Atsiz called a Soviet spy in an article he wrote. For the second hearing in his trial against Ali, Atsiz's supporters welcomed him arriving at Ankara train station, where they burned books by Ali and Nâzım Hikmet. The rally was mainly by racists and Turanists who shouted slogans against communists. During the trial, they massed in the courtroom, as well in front of the court. They later marched to Ulus Square where they eventually clashed with the police. Following the rally, many participants were arrested and some of them were defendants in the Racism Turanism trial. Reha Oğuz Türkkan, Atsız, Alparslan Türkeş, Nejdet Sançar and others, who were imprisoned in the Tophane Military prison, held a reunion on 3 May 1945 to remember the rallies in support of Atsız. This was the start of a 'Turkism Day' celebration; Turkism day is celebrated by the Turkish Hearths, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Good Party, also some politicians of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and other Turkish nationalist organizations. In 1967 the Union of Turkish Nationalists published a book in memory of Turkism day.
WVidovdan is a Serbian national and religious holiday, a slava celebrated on 28 June, or 15 June according to the Julian calendar. The Serbian Church designates it as the memorial day to Saint Prince Lazar and the Serbian holy martyrs who fell during the Battle of Kosovo against the Ottoman Empire on 15 June 1389. It is an important part of Serb ethnic and Serbian national identity.
WVimy Ridge Day is a day to commemorate the deaths and casualties of members of the Canadian Corps in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which took place during First World War. The holiday has been observed annually on 9 April since 2003. It is a non-statutory observance.
WWaitangi Day, the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing – on 6 February 1840 – of the Treaty of Waitangi, which is regarded as the founding document of the nation. The first Waitangi Day was not celebrated until 1934, and it was made a national public holiday in 1974.
WYom HaZikaron, in full Yom HaZikaron LeHalalei Ma'arakhot Yisrael ul'Nifge'ei Pe'ulot HaEivah, is Israel's official remembrance day, enacted into law in 1963. While Yom HaZikaron has been traditionally dedicated to fallen soldiers, commemoration has also been extended to civilian victims of terrorism.