Independence Day, 24 May

24 May is Eritrea's Independence Day, the country's national holiday. It is celebrated in Eritrea with days of festivities, and by Eritrean communities around the world with gatherings, music and dancing.

Two dates, one day

The holiday marks two events on the same date, two years apart:

• 24 May 1991 - the day the fighters of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front entered Asmara, ending a war for independence that had lasted thirty years.
• 24 May 1993 - the day Eritrea formally declared its independence, after a referendum held on 23-25 April 1993 and observed by the United Nations, in which more than 99 per cent of voters chose independence. Eritrea joined the United Nations the same month.

How it is celebrated

In Asmara, the days before 24 May are filled with parades, cultural performances from all nine ethnic groups, concerts and street celebrations, with the city decorated in the national colours. Families gather, and many Eritreans abroad travel home for the season.

In the diaspora, community associations hold celebrations in halls and parks on the nearest weekend: traditional dress, music, dancing, food and, often, a coffee ceremony. Once the events section is open, celebrations near you will be listed on Eritrean.net.

Other national days

• 20 June - Martyrs' Day, a day of remembrance for those who died in the struggle for independence.
• 1 September - the anniversary of the start of the armed struggle in 1961.