Public holidays
South Sudan: 15 public holiday dates in 2026 (15 days off) and 14 in 2027 (14 days off), with 250 working days in 2026 and 254 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 9 January 2026 | 2026-W02 | Peace Agreement Day | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 3 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Saturday 4 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Holy Saturday | Yes |
| Sunday 5 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Easter Sunday | Yes |
| Monday 6 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | International Labour Day | Yes |
| Saturday 16 May 2026 | 2026-W20 | SPLA Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 27 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Thursday 9 July 2026 | 2026-W28 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Thursday 30 July 2026 | 2026-W31 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Thursday 24 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Eve | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Saturday 26 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Second Day of Christmas | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Saturday 9 January 2027 | 2027-W01 | Peace Agreement Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 9 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 26 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Saturday 27 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Holy Saturday | Yes |
| Sunday 28 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Easter Sunday | Yes |
| Monday 29 March 2027 | 2027-W13 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | International Labour Day | Yes |
| Sunday 16 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | SPLA Day | Yes |
| Friday 9 July 2027 | 2027-W27 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Friday 30 July 2027 | 2027-W30 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Friday 24 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Eve | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Sunday 26 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Second Day of Christmas | 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 |
| Holy Saturday | Saturday 4 April 2026 | Saturday 27 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday 5 April 2026 | Sunday 28 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April 2026 | Monday 29 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| February | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| March | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| April | 20 | 22 | +2 |
| May | 19 | 21 | +2 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| August | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| December | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| Q1 | 61 | 60 | −1 |
| Q2 | 61 | 65 | +4 |
| Q3 | 64 | 64 | 0 |
| Q4 | 64 | 65 | +1 |
| Year | 250 | 254 | +4 |
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.
9 January marks the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed on 9 January 2005 by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and the Government of Sudan to end the Second Sudanese Civil War.
At work: Fine to mention. 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.
The last day of Holy Week, between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, when Christians prepare for Easter. It commemorates the time Jesus lay in the tomb. Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican churches begin the Easter Vigil service on this day.
At work: Fine to mention with care: a quiet day before Easter. A day off in the places that list it; the card shows the official days off.
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.
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.
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.
16 May is SPLA Day. The Sudan People's Liberation Army was founded as a guerrilla movement against the government of Sudan in 1983.
At work: Fine to mention. A day off.
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 9 July 2011, when South Sudan became independent from Sudan, after a referendum.
At work: Fine to mention. A day off.
30 July commemorates the death of John Garang de Mabior, the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Army during the Second Sudanese Civil War, in a helicopter crash in 2005. Foul play in his death has never been proven.
At work: A solemn day; mention it only with respect. A day off.
The evening or entire day before Christmas, widely recognised as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day. Christmas celebrations in Western Christianity have long begun on Christmas Eve, and Midnight Mass is popular in Poland (pasterka) and Lithuania.
At work: Where it is a day off it simply starts the Christmas break. In other places, many people finish at midday. Don't schedule anything.
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.
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