📅 holiday

Umuganura

Friday, August 7, 2026

— days to go

Umuganura, literally rendered “thanks giving day” is Rwanda’s first fruits festival. It takes place as the very first portion of the annual harvest begins to come in. For some 1,800 years, this holiday has been a part of Rwandan culture and it continues to be so today. In 2026, Umuganura falls on Friday 7 August. The holiday will be on Friday 6 August in 2027. As the first fruits of the harvest can come at different times in different locations or with different crops, there isn’t really a single fixed date for umuganura activities at a local level. And there are different levels of celebration, as families, clans, and the whole nation participate. Umuganura is a time of sharing the bounty of the harvest with family, friends, and neighbours. Staple foods like sorghum, millet, and boiled maize are enjoyed, and milk in traditional containers is shared as well. Many may also attend or partake in traditional dances, art, drama, or the display of inyambo cattle. Umuganura is said to have been Rwanda’s de facto national day long before the colonial period, and today, it remains an important time to remember the past, express cultural values, and give thanks for and share the bounty of the new incoming harvest.

History

How It's Celebrated

Umuganura, literally rendered “thanks giving day” is Rwanda’s first fruits festival. For some 1,800 years, this holiday has been a part of Rwandan culture and it continues to be so today. The holiday will be on Friday 6 August in 2027. As the first fruits of the harvest can come at different times i

Other Years

2026 Fri

7 Aug

2027 Fri

6 Aug

2028 Fri

4 Aug

2025 Fri

1 Aug

2024 Fri

2 Aug

Countries

🇷🇼 RW

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🌍 observance Apr 7

Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide

Genocide Begins. On April 7, the Rwanda Genocide begins after the assassination of Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana, causing mass killings over a period of 100 days

RWUS

🌍 observance Jul 4

Rwanda Liberation

In 1990, Start of. Rwandan Civil War. The Rwandan Civil War begins when the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a rebel group, launches an attack from Uganda into northern Rwanda

RWUG

📅 holiday Nov 30

St Andrew's Day

Saint Andrew’s Day is celebrated every 30 November in Scotland. The day celebrates the Feast of Saint Andrew and is also considered Scotland’s National Day. In 2026, Saint Andrew's Day falls on Monday 30 November. The holiday will be on Tuesday 30 November in 2027. *Please refer to this note for Scotland-specific information. This patron saint day was declared a bank holiday in 2006 by the Scottish Parliament although banks are not required to close if they do not wish to. If 30 November occurs on a weekend, the bank holiday is moved to the following Monday. Saint Andrew is notable in that he was one of the original twelve disciples of Jesus Christ and was also the brother of Saint Peter. Before following Jesus, Andrew was a fisherman. He was born at Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. The main colour you will see in Scotland on Saint Andrew’s Day is the white diagonal cross on blue background of the Scottish flag – the Saltire. This is the Saint Andrew’s cross, and represents the shape of the cross on which Saint Andrew was said to have been crucified. The history of the Scottish link to Saint Andrew goes back as far as 832AD when Óengus II promised God that if the Scots and Picts were victorious in battle against the Angles he would make Saint Andrew the patron saint of Scotland. And they were. Saint Andrew’s Day’s amazing menus include cullen skink (haddock and potato soup), highland venison casseroles, potted hough (shin) with mustard sauce and Scottish tablet (a very sweet treat). Events around Scotland include flag ceremonies, the Shindig in George Square of Glasgow that features live music, and local celebrations in the town of Saint Andrews in the Kingdom of Fife. There is also free entry to many of Scotland’s castles and attractions on the day. Scotland has a free Saint Andrew’s Day app available for iPhone and Android with Scottish and worldwide events, menu ideas and much more.

📅 holiday Dec 26

Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti

The birth anniversary of freedom fighter Udham Singh, called “Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti”, is a public holiday in the Indian state of Haryana. In 2026, Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti falls on Saturday 26 December. The holiday will be on Sunday 26 December in 2027. From the British perspective, Shaheed Udham Singh was an assassin who killed their lieutenant governor of Punjab province on 13 March 1940. He shot Michael O’Dwyer to death at a meeting in London. He did not try to escape and was immediately arrested. In jail, he went on a hunger strike for over 40 days but was force fed to keep him alive until his execution on 31 July, 1940. In India, he is sometimes called “Shaheed i Azam”, which means “The Great Martyr”. The reason is that Michael O’Dwyer had supported a massacre of over 1,000 people over 20 years before he was assassinated. In 1919, riots broke out against British rule in Punjab, which were ultimately put down by firing on civilians, including women and children. There had been riots a few days before that had killed four Europeans and burned down some British banks, but the crowd fired upon is considered to have been a group of peaceful protesters. Mahatma Gandhi condemned the assassination, but many others, especially in his native province of Punjab, approved of it. There is a national memorial in the garden of Jallianwala Bagh in the Punjabi city of Amritsar, where the 1919 massacre took place, which mentions him honourably.