Public holidays
Burundi: 15 public holiday dates in 2026 (15 days off) and 16 in 2027 (16 days off), with 248 working days in 2026 and 249 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Thursday 5 February 2026 | 2026-W06 | Unity Day | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Monday 6 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Commemoration of the Assassination of President Cyprien Ntaryamira | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | International Labor Day | Yes |
| Thursday 14 May 2026 | 2026-W20 | Ascension Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 27 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Monday 8 June 2026 | 2026-W24 | National Day of Patriotism and Commemoration of the Death of President Pierre Nkurunziza | Yes |
| Wednesday 1 July 2026 | 2026-W27 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Saturday 15 August 2026 | 2026-W33 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 13 October 2026 | 2026-W42 | Commemoration of the Assassination of National Hero, Prince Louis Rwagasore | Yes |
| Wednesday 21 October 2026 | 2026-W43 | Commemoration of the Assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye | Yes |
| Sunday 1 November 2026 | 2026-W44 | All Saints' Day | Yes |
| Monday 2 November 2026 | 2026-W45 | All Saints' Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Friday 5 February 2027 | 2027-W05 | Unity Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 9 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Tuesday 6 April 2027 | 2027-W14 | Commemoration of the Assassination of President Cyprien Ntaryamira | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | International Labor Day | Yes |
| Thursday 6 May 2027 | 2027-W18 | Ascension Day | Yes |
| Sunday 16 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Monday 17 May 2027 | 2027-W20 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Tuesday 8 June 2027 | 2027-W23 | National Day of Patriotism and Commemoration of the Death of President Pierre Nkurunziza | Yes |
| Thursday 1 July 2027 | 2027-W26 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Sunday 15 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Monday 16 August 2027 | 2027-W33 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 13 October 2027 | 2027-W41 | Commemoration of the Assassination of National Hero, Prince Louis Rwagasore | Yes |
| Thursday 21 October 2027 | 2027-W42 | Commemoration of the Assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye | Yes |
| Monday 1 November 2027 | 2027-W44 | All Saints' Day | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr | Friday 20 March 2026 | Tuesday 9 March 2027 | −11 days |
| Ascension Day | Thursday 14 May 2026 | Thursday 6 May 2027 | −8 days |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| February | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| March | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| April | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| May | 18 | 19 | +1 |
| June | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| July | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| August | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 20 | 19 | −1 |
| November | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| December | 22 | 23 | +1 |
| Q1 | 61 | 61 | 0 |
| Q2 | 60 | 61 | +1 |
| Q3 | 65 | 64 | −1 |
| Q4 | 62 | 63 | +1 |
| Year | 248 | 249 | +1 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
The first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian calendar, 1 January. Cultures and religions that follow a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their New Year at other points of the year. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, instead of with the Chinese calendar that was in use until 1873.
At work: Fine to mention, and a natural moment to wish colleagues well.
5 February is Unity Day in Burundi, intended to help reconcile the ethnic differences between the Tutsi and the Hutu.
At work: Fine to mention with sensitivity. A day off.
Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is the first of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the end of the month-long, dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It begins with a communal prayer and is followed by visits to relatives, giving gifts and sharing meals.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Its date follows the lunar calendar and shifts every year, so keep plans flexible. During Ramadan itself, colleagues who fast may prefer meetings earlier in the day and not over lunch.
6 April marks the anniversary of the death of President Cyprien Ntaryamira in 1994.
At work: A solemn day; mention it only with respect. A day off.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
Ascension Day is a Christian feast commemorating Jesus's ascension into heaven. It is held 39 days after Easter Sunday, which is the 40th day of Easter, so it always falls on a Thursday.
At work: Where it is a holiday, everyone is off on Thursday.
Eid al-Adha, the "festival of the sacrifice", is the second of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son at God's command. The Eid prayer is held in the morning, followed by the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal, and celebrations carry on for the three following days.
At work: Very welcome to mention. As with Eid al-Fitr, the date follows the lunar calendar, so keep plans flexible.
8 June, National Patriotism Day, coincides with the anniversary of the death of President Pierre Nkurunziza in 2020.
At work: Fine to mention with respect. A day off.
Marks 1 July 1962, when Burundi became independent from Belgium.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
The Assumption of Mary is the Catholic dogma that Mary, at the end of her earthly life, was taken body and soul into heaven. It is celebrated on 15 August. The Eastern Churches have an equivalent belief, the Dormition.
At work: Fine to mention. A public holiday in many Catholic countries.
13 October remembers Prince Louis Rwagasore, a nationalist, Prime Minister and the father of Burundi's independence, who was assassinated in 1961.
At work: A solemn day; mention it only with respect. A day off.
21 October remembers President Melchior Ndadaye, the father of democracy in Burundi, who was assassinated in 1993; his death sparked the Burundian Civil War.
At work: A solemn day; mention it only with respect. A day off.
A Christian holy day celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church, on 1 November in the Catholic Church. It is followed by All Souls' Day on 2 November. Where it is a public holiday, cemetery rituals such as offerings of flowers, candles and prayers for the graves of loved ones often take place. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates it on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
At work: Fine to mention, but it is a reflective day about remembering loved ones, not a festive one, so avoid "Happy All Saints' Day".
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. Eastern Christian Churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate it on 25 December of that calendar, which currently corresponds to 7 January. It is a public holiday in many countries, and many non-Christians celebrate it culturally too.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Plan important meetings before the break. If you're unsure whether someone celebrates it, "Happy holidays" is a safe choice.
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