Holidays In Central Asia

Get out your diaries, because Overachiever’s Central Asian Adviser Madina Tuleshova takes us through the lineup of holidays in Central Asian countries, including celebrations both exclusive and mutual to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Day of Defenders, Uzbekistan

January

• January 1-2 New Years – Holiday celebrated across the world

• January 12 Memorial Day (Turkmenistan)

• January 14 Day of Defenders (Uzbekistan) – Day dedicated to those who fought in WWII

February

• February 23 Defenders of the Fatherland Day (Kyrgyzstan) – Day dedicated to those who fought in WWII

Nauryz, Kazakhstan

March

• March 8 International Women’s Day

• March 22 Nauryz (Nowruz/Navruz/Nowrooz) – The Spring Festival that celebrates the New year across all central Asian countries. Festivities, food, games and dances are performed at each household. Celebrating spring’s warmth, sharing dishes with neighbors and friends and enjoying the day as a family is what Nauryz is about. Different central Asian countries will have a different name of this spring holiday based on the native language of that country.

Unity Day, Kazakhstan

May

• May 1 Unity Day (Kazakhstan)/Labour Day – The day celebrating the value of having a multicultural country with many nationalities living in one united place.

• May 5 Constitution Day (Kyrgyzstan)

• May 7 Day of the Country’s Defenders (Kazakhstan) – a day dedicated to those who fought in WWII. Various events take place to raise the awareness of the war’s impact on the younger generation. Young people are taught the importance of patriotism, unity and camaraderie.

• May 9 Victory Day – A day to celebrate the victory in WWII. Parades, shows, events take place throughout the country.

• May 5 – June 4 (2019) Ramadan – A religious holiday that is celebrated in many Muslim countries, many of which are in Central Asia.

• May 18 Constitution Day & Flag Day (Turkmenistan)

June

• June 27 Unity Day (Tajikistan)

Eid al-Adha

August

• August 11 Festival of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha)

• August 19 Afghanistan Independence Day

• August 30 Constitution Day (Kazakhstan)

• August 31 Kyrgyzstan Independence Day

Turkmenistan Independence Day

September

• September 9 Ashura (Afghanistan) & Tajikistan Independence Day

• September 27 Turkmenistan Independence Day

October

• October 6 Day of Remembrance (Turkmenistan)

• October 25 Republic Day (Kazakhstan)

Constitution Day (Tajikistan)

November

• November 6 Constitution Day (Tajikistan)

• November 10 Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (Afghanistan)

December

• December 8 Constitution Day (Uzbekistan)

• December 12 Neutrality Day (Turkmenistan)

• December 16 Kazakhstan Independence Day