Saudi National Day اليوم الوطني السعودي | |
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Official name | Saudi National Day |
Observed by | Saudi Arabia |
Type | National |
Significance | Proclamation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
Ends | The day after |
Date | 23 September |
Next time | 23 September 2025 |
Frequency | Annual |
First time | 1965 2005 (as national holiday) | (at official levels)
Started by | Faisal bin Abdulaziz |
Saudi National Day (Arabic: اليوم الوطني للمملكة العربية السعودية al-Yawm al-Waṭanī lil-Mamlaka al-ʿArabiyya as-Saʿūdiyya) is a public holiday in Saudi Arabia celebrated annually on 23 September to commemorate the proclamation that renamed the Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932 through a royal decree by King Abdulaziz ibn Saud.[1] It was founded in 1965 by King Faisal bin Abdulaziz in order to replace the Royal Seating Day, but at the same time letting it retain its predecessor's year count of 1930 instead of 1932.[2] It was made a public holiday by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in 2005 and is one of the three non-religious holidays observed in the country, other being the Saudi Founding Day and Saudi Flag Day.[3][4]