Our country is celebrating its 67th Republic Day with great pomp and show. Huge preparations and precision has gone into making the celebrations successful.
One of the biggest highlights this year is that President of France Francois Hollande is attending the event as a chief guest, amidst unprecedented security in the wake of the attack on Pathankot air force base.
Countries across the globe all have their own Republic Day. Some things are a common theme throughout different countries, such as fiberglass flagpoles decorated with the countries flag and marches and processions. But there are some things which are unique to certain countries. On this occasion, KHURKI looks at how various countries across the globe celebrate Republic Day…
26 January in India
India gained its independence on 15 August 1947, after which the process of preparing a Constitution was started. The Constitution was passed on 26 November 1949 in the Constituent Assembly. It was adopted on 26 January 1950 with a democratic government system, when the country became a republic in true sense. 26 January was selected because it was this day in 1930 when the Declaration of Indian Independence was passed.
1 February in Hungary
The Memorial Day of the Republic commemorates the proclamation of the Republic of Hungary on 1 February 1946. Since 2004, this day is a national commemoration day, not a public or national holiday.
23 February in Guyana
On 23 February 1970, Guyana was declared a “cooperative republic” within the Commonwealth of Nations.
23 March in Pakistan
In Pakistan, 23 March marks two related events; the first was the passing of the Lahore Resolution in 1940 by the leaders of the Muslim League, essentially demanding a separate state for Muslims, ultimately leading to the independence of Pakistan in 1947. The second event was the formal declaration of Pakistan as an Islamic Republic in 1956, having previously held the status of a Dominion. The main events of this day include a full military parade and the awarding of honors at the Presidential Palace by the President.
1 April in Iran
Islamic Republic Day is celebrated on Farvardin 12 of the Iranian calendar to mark the anniversary of the 1979 establishment of the Islamic Republic. Farvardin 12 falls on or around April 1 in the Gregorian calendar.
24 April in the Gambia
15 May in Lithuania
The Constituent Assembly of Lithuania met for the first time on 15 May, 1920. The day is commemorated as Constituent Assembly Day.
In Azerbaijan on 28 May
On 28 May 1918, Azerbaijan declared independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, thus forming the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Azerbaijan was the first democratic parliamentary republic in the Muslim world. The holiday was not celebrated during Soviet times, and it only achieved consistency after the collapse of the USSR.
28 May in Nepal
31 May in South Africa
Between 1961 and 1994, 31 May was celebrated in South Africa as Republic Day. This practice was discontinued in 1995 following the attainment of majority rule and the reorganisation of public holidays as a consequence. On the last Republic Day, in 1994, South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations.
2 June in Italy
Republic Day is celebrated on 2 June. It commemorates the referendum of 1946, when the Italian population was called to decide what form of government (monarchy or republic) to give to the country after World War II and the fall of Fascism. After 85 years of monarchy, Italy became a Republic, and the monarchs of the House of Savoy were deposed and exiled. This is one of the most important Italian public holidays which, like 14 July in France and 4 July in the USA, celebrates the birth of the nation. A grand military parade is held in central Rome.
17 June in Iceland
The Republic Day commemorates the independence of Iceland on 17 June 1944.
1 July in Ghana
On 1 July 1960, Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana proclaimed a republic and became its first president.
4 July in the Philippines
From 1946 to 1961, this day was celebrated as Independence Day, in honour of the country’s freedom from the United States of America and the establishment of the Third Republic in 1946. In 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal changed the date of Independence Day to 12 June and designating 4 July as “Philippine Republic Day” according to Republic Act ? 4166. The current date of 12 June celebrates the First Philippine Republic’s secession from the Spanish Empire in 1898.
14 July in Iraq
25 July in Tunisia
2 August in Macedonia
24 September in Trinidad and Tobago
5 October in Portugal
7 October in East Germany
The Tag der Republik commemorated the establishment of the German Democratic Republic on 7 October 1949. East Germany was dissolved on 3 October 1990.
10 October in Taiwan
Second-to-last Monday in October in Rhodesia
Although the government of Ian Smith declared Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) a republic on 2 March 1970, the annual Republic Day holiday took place on the second-to-last Monday in October. It was abolished in October 1979 by the interim government of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
29 October in Turkey
11 November in the Maldives
15 November in Brazil
On 15 November 1889, in the city of Rio de Janeiro (the Brazilian capital at that time), a military coup led by Field Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca overthrew Emperor Pedro II and declared Brazil a republic.
Northern Cyprus
28 November in Chad
On 28 November 1958, Chad became an autonomous state within the French Community.
29 November in the former Yugoslavia
On 29 November 1943, the Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation of Yugoslavia established the foundations of post-war Yugoslavia as a federal republic, which was officially proclaimed on the same date in 1945. Republic Day marked the occasion two consecutive days, 29 and 30 November, and was likely the most important holiday (the other two-day holidays were New Year and May Day).
In the 1980s, as central and Communist Party authority eroded, dissenters targeted Republic Day celebrations for criticism. In 1987, Bosnian garage rock band Zabranjeno pušenje published a song entitled Dan Republike, in which they criticized the state of the economy and protested the general indifference to the ideals behind the holiday. The band had to change some of the lyrics before being allowed to air the song.
In 1990, Slovenia was the first federal republic to cease observing the holiday. Other seceded republics followed suit as Yugoslavia dissolved. Federal Republic of Yugoslavia kept the holiday until 2002. The date “29.XI.1943” figured prominently on the Yugoslav coat of arms.
December 1 in the Central African Republic
11 December in Burkina Faso
12 December in Kenya
13 December in Malta
16 December in Kazakhstan
18 December in Niger
