Heroes' Day or National Heroes' Day may refer to a number of commemorations of national heroes in different countries and territories. It is often held on the
birthday
A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage.
Many religion ...
of a
national hero or heroine, or the anniversary of their great deeds that made them heroes.
Angola
National Heroes' Day in
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
is a
holiday in Angola on 17 September, the birthday of the national hero
Agostinho Neto
António Agostinho Neto (17 September 1922 – 10 September 1979) was an Angolan Communism, communist politician and poet. He served as the first president of Angola from 1975 to 1979, having led the MPLA, Popular Movement for the Liberation of ...
.
Bahamas
National Heroes' Day in the
Bahamas
The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of its population. ...
has been a public holiday since 2013. It replaced Discovery Day, which celebrated the arrival of
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...
to the Americas.
Barbados
National Heroes' Day is a
public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year.
Types
Civic holiday
A ''civic holiday'', also k ...
in
Barbados
Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
on April 28, honoring the eleven national heroes of Barbados. It was first celebrated on 28 April 1998, the centenary of the birth of national hero
Grantley Adams, after the passing of the Order of National Heroes Act 1998.
Bermuda
National Heroes' Day has been an official holiday in
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest.
Bermuda is an ...
since 2008, when the centre-left government declared it would replace the
Queen's Official Birthday marked in June. Over 2,000 residents signed a petition in protest calling to retain the Queen's Birthday holiday.
Initially observed in October, the holiday was moved to the third Monday of June in 2009.
Currently Bermuda has eight (8) National Heroes, voting is open to the public once every decade as of June 2022, with the next nomination period beginning in 2025.
Cape Verde
Heroes Day is a
public holiday in Cape Verde on 20 January. It commemorates the 1973 assassination of
Amílcar Cabral, who is remembered as a hero for fighting western
colonialism
Colonialism is the control of another territory, natural resources and people by a foreign group. Colonizers control the political and tribal power of the colonised territory. While frequently an Imperialism, imperialist project, colonialism c ...
and
exploitation.
Cayman Islands
The fourth Monday in January is National Heroes' Day in the Cayman Islands; it was proclaimed with the National Heroes Law, providing for the declaration of persons who have rendered exceptional service as national heroes. Numerous Caymanians have been declared national heroes, includes the Hon. James (Jim) Manoah Bodden, Mrs.
Sybil I. McLaughlin, Mr. Thomas William Farrington, Mrs.
Sybil Joyce Hylton, Mr. Desmond Vere Watler, Ms Mary Evelyn Wood, Cert. Hon. and
William Warren Conolly.
East Timor
December 31 is
National Heroes Day in
East Timor
Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...
. It commemorates the
Indonesian invasion of East Timor.
Guinea-Bissau
Heroes' Day is celebrated on
January 20
Events Pre-1600
* 250 – Pope Fabian is martyred during the Decian persecution.
*1156 – Finnish peasant Lalli kills English clergyman Henry (bishop of Finland), Henry, the Bishop of Turku, on the ice of Köyliönjärvi, Lake Köyli� ...
to commemorate the assassination of independence leader
Amilcar Cabral in 1973.
Hungary
Heroes' Day (), National Heroes' Day or the Memorial Day of Hungarian Heroes in
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
is celebrated on the 31 May as a public holiday. It is observed with military ceremonies at monuments such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on
Heroes' Square in Budapest all to commemorate soldiers in service to Hungary. It has been marked every year by the
Hungarian Defence Force
The Hungarian Defence Forces (, ) is the national armed forces, defence force of Hungary. Since 2007, the Hungarian Armed Forces has been under a unified command structure. The Ministry of Defence maintains political and civil control over the ar ...
and the public since 2001.
Indonesia
Hari Pahlawan (
Indonesian for Heroes' Day) is a national day annually celebrated on 10 November in
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
. The day commemorates the 1945
Battle of Surabaya, in which pro-independence
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
n local community, as well as soldiers and militia fought against British and Dutch troops as part of the
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution (), also known as the Indonesian War of Independence (, ), was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during A ...
.
Jamaica
In Jamaica, Heroes' Day is celebrated annually on the third Monday of October. It started in 1969. It honours
Alexander Bustamante, Jamaica’s first prime minister;
Nanny of the Maroons, who led a fight for independence in the early 18th century, and five other national heroes. The government also recognizes modern heroes on this date.
Kenya
Mashujaa Day, also known as Heroes' Day ("mashujaa" is
Swahili for "heroes"), is a national day in
Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
, which is observed on 20 October as a
public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year.
Types
Civic holiday
A ''civic holiday'', also k ...
to collectively honour all those who contributed towards the struggle for Kenya's independence or positively contributed in the post independence Kenya. It was previously known as Kenyatta Day, which was celebrated to commemorate the detention in
Kapenguria of freedom fighters
Achieng' Oneko,
Bildad Kaggia,
Fred Kubai,
Jomo Kenyatta,
Kung'u Karumba and
Paul Ngei, often referred to as the
Kapenguria Six. However, following the promulgation of the
Constitution of Kenya in August 2010, Kenyatta Day was renamed.
Malaysia
Warriors' Day () is a day in
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
that commemorates the servicemen killed during the two
World War
A world war is an international War, conflict that involves most or all of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World War I ...
s and the
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War, was a guerrilla warfare, guerrilla war fought in Federation of Malaya, Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Arm ...
. By extension, it honours all individuals who lost their lives in the line of duty throughout Malaysia's history. Until 2009, every year on 31 July, the
King
King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
and the
Prime Minister
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
as well as senior representatives of the
Royal Malaysian Police and the Armed Forces gathered at the National Monument in
Lake Gardens to lay wreaths and pay homage to Malaysia's fallen heroes. They now gather at
Merdeka Square, Kuala Lumpur,
National Heroes' Square, Putrajaya or in Kem Perdana in
Sungai Besi, also in KL (the 2014 event was held there).
Mozambique
Heroes' Day is a
public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year.
Types
Civic holiday
A ''civic holiday'', also k ...
in
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...
on 3 February. It is set to commemorate those who lost their lives in the Portuguese Colonial War.
Namibia
26 August is Heroes' Day in Namibia. It marks the beginning of the armed struggle during the
Namibian War of Independence.
Paraguay
Heroes' Day in
Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
is a national public holiday held on 1 March. It commemorates the death of President
Francisco Solano López
Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 or 1826 – 1 March 1870) was a Paraguay, Paraguayan statesman, Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician who served as President of Paraguay between 1862 and 1870, of which he serve ...
at the
battle of Cerro Cora in 1870, ending the
War of the Triple Alliance.
Philippines
National Heroes' Day (
Filipino: ''Araw ng mga Bayani'') is a
national public holiday in the Philippines observed every last Monday in August
to mark the anniversary of the
Cry of Pugad Lawin, the beginning of the
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution ( or ; or ) was a war of independence waged by the revolutionary organization Katipunan against the Spanish Empire from 1896 to 1898. It was the culmination of the 333-year History of the Philippines (1565–1898), ...
by the ''
Katipunan'' and its ''Supremo''
Andrés Bonifacio in 1896. This holiday was originally kept on the last Sunday of August in 1931, but in 2007 was moved to its present date by
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to reduce work disruptions, allow for longer weekends, and boost domestic tourism and businesses.
Romania
Heroes' Day in
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
is celebrated on the 40th day (
Feast of the Ascension
The Feast of the Ascension of Jesus Christ (also called the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Ascension Day, Ascension Thursday, or sometimes Holy Thursday) commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. It ...
) from the Orthodox Easter. It is a national holiday; observed with military and religious festivities at the monuments dedicated to the national heroes (such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier).
Rwanda
National Heroes' Day is a
public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year.
Types
Civic holiday
A ''civic holiday'', also k ...
in
Rwanda
Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...
on 1 February.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
National Heroes Day is a holiday in
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis, officially the Federation of Saint Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis, is an island country consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain of the Less ...
that is observed annually on 16 September. It honours individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of the nation. There are currently five national heroes:
Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw,
Paul Southwell,
Joseph Nathaniel France,
Simeon Daniel and
Kennedy Simmonds.
*The holiday was established in 1996 by the Saint Kitts and Nevis Federal Parliament with the passage of the ''National Honours Act''. The first observance of the holiday was on 16 September 1998 to honour
Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw, the first
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier.
A premier will normally be a head of govern ...
of Saint Kitts and Nevis and a former labour activist. The holiday is observed on his birthday.
[South African Republic
The South African Republic (, abbreviated ZAR; ), also known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer republics, Boer republic in Southern Africa which existed from 1852 to 1902, when it was annexed into the British Empire as a result ...]
until 1994.
National Heroes Day in Sri Lanka is celebrated every 22 May. It has been celebrated since 1818 Kandyan rebellion against British invasion in Sri Lanka. This year (2013), 195th commemoration of National Heroes Day of Sri Lanka was held by the sponsorship of the Sri Lankan Government.
, National Heroes' Day takes place on the last Monday in May.
takes place every 9 June.
first celebrated a National Heroes Day in 2011, on 21 October (the same day as the victory at
). It was founded by Danny Glavin, a teacher from
. After hearing about the tragic death of his childhood friend whilst serving in Afghanistan, he decided to fund-raise for a military charity in his memory. The day was endorsed by Prime Minister
. Now Glavin has founded The Inspiration Federation and coordinates the Heroes Day Educational Programme within schools across the United Kingdom.
is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in July annually. Heroes Day is a memorial day for those who perished during the independence struggles.
, also a public holiday, occurs the next day, celebrating a country with over 70 languages and dialects, united into one nation.
is a public holiday observed on the second Monday of August each year.
This is a day to remember those who died during the liberation war or those who were declared National Heroes when they died and are buried at the National shrine, The National Heroes Acre in Harare. There are also 10 Provincial Heroes Acres where those who have not been accorded the highest honour but are recognised for the role they played during the Liberation War and are buried in the Provinces they would have come from.