Public holidays
Syria: 20 public holiday dates in 2026 (20 days off) and 21 in 2027 (21 days off), with 248 working days in 2026 and 245 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 |
| Sunday 8 March 2026 | 2026-W10 | Revolution Day | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Saturday 21 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Sunday 22 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Sunday 5 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Gregorian Easter Sunday | Yes |
| Sunday 12 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Julian Easter Sunday | Yes |
| Friday 17 April 2026 | 2026-W16 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 6 May 2026 | 2026-W19 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 26 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Wednesday 27 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Thursday 28 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Friday 29 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Tuesday 16 June 2026 | 2026-W25 | Islamic New Year | Yes |
| Tuesday 25 August 2026 | 2026-W35 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Tuesday 6 October 2026 | 2026-W41 | Tishreen Liberation War Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 8 December 2026 | 2026-W50 | Liberation Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Saturday 26 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Boxing Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Monday 8 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Revolution Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 9 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Wednesday 10 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Thursday 11 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Sunday 21 March 2027 | 2027-W11 | Mother's Day | Yes |
| Sunday 28 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Gregorian Easter Sunday | Yes |
| Saturday 17 April 2027 | 2027-W15 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Sunday 2 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Julian Easter Sunday | Yes |
| Thursday 6 May 2027 | 2027-W18 | Martyrs' Day | Yes |
| Saturday 15 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Sunday 16 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Monday 17 May 2027 | 2027-W20 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Tuesday 18 May 2027 | 2027-W20 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Sunday 6 June 2027 | 2027-W22 | Islamic New Year | Yes |
| Saturday 14 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Wednesday 6 October 2027 | 2027-W40 | Tishreen Liberation War Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 8 December 2027 | 2027-W49 | Liberation Day | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Sunday 26 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Boxing Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julian Easter Sunday | Sunday 12 April 2026 | Sunday 2 May 2027 | +20 days, changes month |
| Prophet's Birthday | Tuesday 25 August 2026 | Saturday 14 August 2027 | −11 days |
| Islamic New Year | Tuesday 16 June 2026 | Sunday 6 June 2027 | −10 days |
| Gregorian Easter Sunday | Sunday 5 April 2026 | Sunday 28 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 | 21 | +1 |
| February | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| March | 21 | 17 | −4 |
| April | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| May | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| June | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| July | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| August | 21 | 23 | +2 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| November | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| December | 22 | 20 | −2 |
| Q1 | 61 | 58 | −3 |
| Q2 | 58 | 59 | +1 |
| Q3 | 65 | 66 | +1 |
| Q4 | 64 | 62 | −2 |
| Year | 248 | 245 | −3 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Friday 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.
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.
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.
Evacuation Day marks 17 April 1946, the end of the French Mandate in Syria.
At work: Fine to mention. 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.
6 May commemorates the nationalists executed in 1916. In Lebanon it also remembers the martyrs of the civil war. Syria removed it from its official holidays in 2025, so check local sources.
At work: A solemn day, so avoid "enjoy" wishes.
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.
The Islamic (Hijri) New Year marks the beginning of a new lunar Hijri year. It is observed by most Muslims on the first day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic era begins with the Hijrah, the emigration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. It is observed as a public holiday by 24 countries.
At work: Fine to mention. A day off in the countries that observe it.
Mawlid is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, on 12 Rabi' al-awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. It was first publicly celebrated by Gökböri, a deputy of Saladin, and the Ottomans declared it an official holiday. Celebrants recite religious poetry in praise of Muhammad.
At work: Respectful to mention. Not every colleague marks it in the same way.
8 December is the anniversary of the fall of the Assad-led Ba'athist regime in 2024.
At work: Fine to mention with care. A day off.
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.
A day to honour mothers. The date differs by country: in the United States it is the second Sunday of May, in Lithuania the first Sunday of May, in Latvia and Samoa the second Sunday of May, and in Madagascar the last Sunday of May. Other countries tie it to another day: Costa Rica to 15 August (the Assumption of Mary), Panama to 8 December (the Immaculate Conception), Syria to the spring equinox, and Georgia to 3 March. Tajikistan celebrates it on 8 March, with International Women's Day.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Check which day the colleague celebrates, since it is not the same everywhere; the card shows the date.
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