Government Declares November 23 Public Holiday for Independence Day
- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Abdallah Salim Salam declared a public holiday to commemorate the country's Independence Day
- The directive, issued through an official memorandum numbered 25/2026, covers public administrations, institutions and municipalities across Lebanon
- Lebanon gained its independence from France, which had held a League of Nations mandate over the territory following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues.
Beirut, Lebanon - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has declared Monday, November 23, 2026, an official public holiday to mark Lebanon's Independence Day, which falls on Sunday, November 22 this year.
Legit.ng reports that the public holiday gives people a break from their normal daily routines and affords them time to focus on personal activities.
Source: Twitter
The directive declaring the work-free day was issued through Memorandum No. 25/2026, made public by the Prime Minister's Office on Friday, November 6, 2026.
The Lebanese Ministry of Information confirmed the order, which instructs public administrations, government institutions, and municipalities across the country to remain closed on the designated day.
Why was the holiday moved?
Lebanon commemorates its independence from French Mandate rule, gained in 1943, every year on November 22. Because the date falls on a Sunday in 2026, a day that is already a non-working day for public sector employees, the government opted to shift the official closure to the following Monday to allow public workers a full additional day off.
The memorandum cited the national significance of Independence Day as grounds for the decision. It also referenced Decree No. 15215, dated September 27, 2005, and its amendments, which form the legal basis for determining official holidays and public occasions in Lebanon.
Who is covered by the holiday?
The closure directive applies specifically to:
- Public administrations
- Public institutions
- Municipalities across Lebanon
Source: Twitter
Salam's announcement is limited to the public sector. The memorandum does not extend the holiday to private businesses, schools, or other non-governmental organisations, meaning those entities are not bound by the directive unless they choose to observe the occasion independently.
Public sector workers will therefore have Monday, November 23 off as Lebanon marks 83 years since gaining independence.
Read more on public holidays
- FULL LIST: Public holidays to be observed in Nigeria
- Oyo, Ogun, 2 other states to declare public holiday in August 2026, full list, reason emerge
- Nigeria public holidays 2026: List of remaining work-free days emerges
Workers to enjoy holiday in Rwanda
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Rwanda declared a public holiday to mark Umuganura Day, a national harvest festival with roots stretching back to pre-colonial times.
Umuganura is a festival that gives thanks to God and ancestors for the bounty of the land and marks the collective effort of communities in cultivating it.
The announcement concerning the work-free day, which came from the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, applies to workers across all sectors, both public and private.
Source: Legit.ng
