UAE announces list of public holidays for 2017

Dubai: The Abu Dhabi government has just released the list of public holidays in the UAE for 2017.  

According to the list, the total duration of holidays for government offices this year will be at least two weeks, with special dates falling almost every month. 

The list serves as the official reference to determine special occasions in the Islamic calendar, such as the start of Ramadan or Haj, and other dates designated for celebrating important events.

“The following list shows the public holidays in the UAE for the year 2017. The official reference to determine Islamic occasions, such as the beginning of Ramadan or Haj, is the Hijri calendar. It is based on the phases of the moon. Hence, the exact dates of Islamic events vary from one Gregorian year to another as they depend on the local sightings of the moon,” the announcement stated.

Ramadan is expected to start on May 27. There will be at least three long weekends to look forward to this year, with one of them lasting for five straight days.

The three-day Eid Al Fitr, which will start from June 25, Sunday, will give workers a total of five non-working days, if Friday and Saturday are taken into account.

This year’s Eid Al Adha, also lasting for three days, will start from September 1, Friday, giving away  three work-free days. 

On November 30, Thursday, the UAE will observe Martyr’s Day and Prophet Mohammad’s birthday, which means employees can enjoy another three-day weekend.

During the holidays, Federal ministries, public departments and institutions will be closed. 

Public Holidays in 2017

*Islamic holiday exact dates are subject to moon sighting and may differ from date given.