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📅 holiday

Derg Downfall Day

Thursday, May 28, 2026

— days to go

Ethiopia’s national day comes every 28 May and is referred to as Derg Downfall Day. It commemorates the defeat of the tyrannical, Communist Derg military regime by forces that resisted it for many years during prolonged civil war. In 2026, Derg Downfall Day falls on Thursday 28 May. The holiday will be on Friday 28 May in 2027. Emperor Haile Selassie ruled Ethiopia from 1930 till 1974, and he was killed by the Derg in 1975. The Derg regime was run by a joint committee of military, police and defence force, called the “derg”. It ruled Ethiopia from 1974 until 1991, when it was finally overthrown. The Derg murdered thousands of protesters and political opponents during its long reign, but since the Civil War continued through the whole period, its control was never complete. Derg Downfall Day is kept to pay homage to those who gave their lives to resist and defeat the oppressive Derg regime. It is a day full of speeches and is an off-work day. Monuments are visited all over Addis Ababa, and many come to see them, remember the struggle for freedom, and to lay laurels down in respect for the “martyrs”.

History

It commemorates the defeat of the tyrannical, Communist Derg military regime by forces that resisted it for many years during prolonged civil war. The Derg murdered thousands of protesters and political opponents during its long reign, but since the Civil War continued through the whole period, its control was never complete. Derg Downfall Day is kept to pay homage to those who gave their lives to resist and defeat the oppressive Derg regime

How It's Celebrated

It commemorates the defeat of the tyrannical, Communist Derg military regime by forces that resisted it for many years during prolonged civil war. The holiday will be on Friday 28 May in 2027

Other Years

2026 Thu
28 May
2027 Fri
28 May
2028 Sun
28 May
2025 Wed
28 May
2024 Tue
28 May

Countries

🇪🇹 ET

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