Public holidays
Rwanda: 19 public holiday dates in 2026 (19 days off) and 21 in 2027 (21 days off), with 246 working days in 2026 and 247 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 |
| Friday 2 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | Day after New Year's Day | Yes |
| Sunday 1 February 2026 | 2026-W05 | National Heroes' Day | Yes |
| Monday 2 February 2026 | 2026-W06 | National Heroes' Day | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 3 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Monday 6 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Tuesday 7 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Memorial Day of Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994 | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 27 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Wednesday 1 July 2026 | 2026-W27 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Saturday 4 July 2026 | 2026-W27 | Liberation Day | Yes |
| Monday 6 July 2026 | 2026-W28 | Liberation Day | Yes |
| Friday 7 August 2026 | 2026-W32 | Umuganura Day | Yes |
| Saturday 15 August 2026 | 2026-W33 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Monday 17 August 2026 | 2026-W34 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Saturday 26 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Boxing Day | Yes |
| Monday 28 December 2026 | 2026-W53 | Boxing Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Saturday 2 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | Day after New Year's Day | Yes |
| Monday 4 January 2027 | 2027-W01 | Day after New Year's Day | Yes |
| Monday 1 February 2027 | 2027-W05 | National Heroes' Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 9 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 26 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Monday 29 March 2027 | 2027-W13 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Wednesday 7 April 2027 | 2027-W14 | Memorial Day of Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi in 1994 | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Monday 3 May 2027 | 2027-W18 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Sunday 16 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Monday 17 May 2027 | 2027-W20 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Thursday 1 July 2027 | 2027-W26 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Sunday 4 July 2027 | 2027-W26 | Liberation Day | Yes |
| Monday 5 July 2027 | 2027-W27 | Liberation Day | Yes |
| Friday 6 August 2027 | 2027-W31 | Umuganura Day | Yes |
| Sunday 15 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Monday 16 August 2027 | 2027-W33 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Sunday 26 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Boxing Day | Yes |
| Monday 27 December 2027 | 2027-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr | Friday 20 March 2026 | Tuesday 9 March 2027 | −11 days |
| Good Friday | Friday 3 April 2026 | Friday 26 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April 2026 | Monday 29 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
| Umuganura Day | Friday 7 August 2026 | Friday 6 August 2027 | −1 day |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | 19 | −1 |
| February | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| March | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| April | 19 | 21 | +2 |
| May | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| August | 19 | 20 | +1 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| December | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| Q1 | 60 | 58 | −2 |
| Q2 | 60 | 62 | +2 |
| Q3 | 62 | 62 | 0 |
| Q4 | 64 | 65 | +1 |
| Year | 246 | 247 | +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.
New Year's Day in Rwanda is a two-day public holiday, on 1–2 January.
At work: Welcome to mention. A day off.
1 February is a yearly tribute to people who exemplified and defended the highest values of patriotism and sacrifice for the wellbeing of the country and its citizens.
At work: Fine to mention with respect. 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.
A solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus, observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It falls on the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday.
At work: Fine to mention the long weekend. It is a sombre day for those who observe it, so avoid "Happy Good Friday". Its date moves every year with Easter, so check the calendar when planning spring deadlines.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and is the most important feast of the Christian year. Families go to church and share a festive meal, and in many places Easter eggs are decorated and broken together as a symbol of the empty tomb. Easter is a moveable feast, with its date set by a lunisolar calendar. Easter Monday, the day after, is a public holiday in more than 50 predominantly Christian countries.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Colleagues may be away for the whole long weekend.
7 April memorialises the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. The week following it is designated an official week of mourning.
At work: A solemn day; mention it only with respect. A day off, followed by an official week of mourning.
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.
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.
Marks 1 July 1962, when Rwanda became independent from Belgium.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Kwibohora on 4 July marks the day in 1994 when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took the capital, Kigali, ending the genocide against the Tutsi. It is celebrated with ceremonies and concerts across the country, with the main events in Kigali, where there is a military parade at Amahoro Stadium.
At work: Fine to mention, with respect for what the day remembers. A day off.
The first Friday in August is a thanksgiving festival that marks the start of the harvest.
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.
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.
Boxing Day is celebrated on 26 December, the day after Christmas. It was once a day to donate gifts to those in need and has become part of the Christmas festivities. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in several Commonwealth nations. It is usually concurrent with Saint Stephen's Day, which in parts of Europe is the second day of Christmas.
At work: Fine to mention. It is part of the Christmas break.
Open Rwanda in TimeBento, next to the other places you work with.