Moroccan Festivals, Public and National Holidays

Excuses for Work: Relevant Holidays & Festivals

                                                  List of International Observances
International Days

January
·       January 1 – Global Family Day (recognized by the UN)
·       January 1 – World Day of Peace (established by Pope Paul VI in his letter dated on 8.12.1967)
·       January 4 – World Braille Day

February
·       February 4 – World Cancer Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       February 6 – International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (recognized by WHO)
·       February 11 – World Day of the Sick (Instituted by Pope John Paul II)
·       February 17 – International Asperger’s Day
·       February 20 – World Day of Social Justice (recognized by the UN)
·       February 21 – International Mother Language Day (recognized by the UN and UNESCO)

March
·       March 1 – Peace Corps Day
·       March 1 – International Wheelchair Day
·       March 3 – International Day for Ear and Hearing (recognized by WHO)
·       March 8 – International Women's Day (recognized by the UN)
·       March 11 – World Day of Muslim Culture, Peace, Dialogue and Film
·       March 20 – World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People
·       March 21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (recognized by the UN)
·       March 21 – World Poetry Day (recognized by the UN and UNESCO)
·       March 21 – International Day of Nowruz (recognized by the UN)
·       March 21 – World Down Syndrome Day  (recognized by the UN[18]
·       March 21 – International Day of Forests (recognized by the UN)
·       March 22 – World Water Day (recognized by the UN)
·       March 23 – World Meteorological Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       March 24 – World Tuberculosis Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       March 24 – International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims (recognized by the UN)
·       March 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (recognized by the UN)

April
·       April 1 – April Fool's Day
·       April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day (recognized by the UN)
·       April 7 – World Health Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       April 12 – International Day for Street Children
·       April 16 – World Entrepreneurship Day
·       April 17 – World Hemophilia Day (recognized by the UN)
·       April 21 – World Creativity and Innovation Day. Celebrations begin April 15 – Leonardo da Vinci's birthday
·       April 22 – International Earth Day (recognized by the UN)
·       April 24 – World Meningitis Day
·       April 25 – World Malaria Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       April 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work (recognized by the UN and ILO)

May
·       May 1 – May Day – Labor Day
·       May 3 – World Press Freedom Day (recognized by the UN)
·       May 8 – World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
·       May 12 – International Nurses Day
·       May 15 – International Day of Families (recognized by the UN)
·       May 17 – World AIDS Vaccine Day
·       May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
·       May 18 – International AIDS Candlelight Memorial
·       May 21 – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development recognized by the UN)
·       May 22 – International Day for Biological Diversity (recognized by the UN)
·       May 31 – World No-Tobacco Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       1st Tuesday of May – World Asthma Day
·       2nd Saturday of May – World Fair Trade Day

June
·       June 1 – International Children's Day
·       June 4 – International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression (recognized by the UN)
·       June 5 – World Environment Day (recognized by the UN and UNEP)
·       June 8 – World Brain Tumor Day
·       June 12 – World Day Against Child Labor (recognized by the UN and ILO)
·       June 14 – World Blood Donor Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       June 18 – Autistic Pride Day
·       June 19 – World Sickle Cell Day
·       June 20 – World Refugee Day (recognized by the UN)
·       June 21 – World Music Day
·       June 23 – United Nations Public Service Day (recognized by the UN)
·       June 26 – International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (recognized by the UN)
·       June 27 – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day

July
·       First Saturday in July, July 7 – International Day of Cooperatives (recognized by the UN)
·       July 16 – Disability Awareness Day
·       July 28 – World Hepatitis Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       July 30 – International Day of Friendship (recognized by the UN)

August
·       August 9 – International Day of the World's Indigenous People (recognized by the UN)
·       August 12 – International Youth Day (recognized by the UN)
·       August 19 – World Humanitarian Day (recognized by the UN)
·       August 19 – World Photography Day

September
·       September 4 – World Cerebral Palsy Day
·       September 8 – International Literacy Day (recognized by the UN and UNESCO)
·       September 8 – World Physical Therapy Day
·       2nd Saturday of September – World First Aid Day
·       September 10 – World Suicide Prevention Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       September 21 – International Day of Peace (recognized by the UN)
·       September 21 – World Alzheimer's Day
·       Last Saturday in September – World Heart Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)

October
·       October 2 – International Day of Non-Violence (recognized by the UN)
·       October 5 – World Teachers' Day (recognized by the UN and UNESCO)
·       October 8 – World Humanitarian Action Day
·       October 10 – World Mental Health Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       October 15 – International Day of Rural Women (recognized by the UN)
·       October 15 – Global Handwashing Day
·       October 16 – World Food Day (recognized by the UN and FAO)
·       October 17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (recognized by the UN)
·       October 20 – World Osteoporosis Day
·       October 25 – World Polio Day
·       Second Thursday in October – World Sight Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)

November
·       November 10 – World Science Day for Peace and Development (recognized by the UN and UNESCO)
·       November 10 – World Immunization Day
·       November 12 – World Pneumonia Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       November 14 – World Diabetes Day (recognized by the UN and WHO)
·       November 16 – International Day for Tolerance (recognized by the UN)
·       November 19 – International Men's Day (Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Australia, India, United States, Singapore, Malta, United Kingdom, South Africa, Hungar, Ireland, Ghana, Canada, Denmark, Austria, England, France, Scotland, Pakistan, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis and Grenada)
·       November 20 – Universal Children's Day (recognized by the UN)
·       November 25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (recognized by the UN)
·       Third Sunday in November, November 17 – World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims  (recognized by the UN and WHO)

December
·       December 1 – World AIDS Day
·       December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities (recognized by the UN)
·       December 10 – Human Rights Day (recognized by the UN)
·       December 20 – International Human Solidarity Day (recognized by the UN)



International Weeks (with a community wellness focus)

·       February 1-7:  World Interfaith Harmony Week, recognized by the UN
·       First week of March:  Peace Corps Week
·       March 21 – 2:  Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination, recognized by the UN
·       April 24-30:  World Immunization Week
·       May 5-11* Children’s Mental Health Week (first full week)
·       May 19-25* National Running and Fitness Week (last full week)
·       May 19-25* Schizophrenia Awareness Week (Week with the 24th)
·       June 10-16:  International Men’s Health Week
·       August 1-7:  World Breastfeeding Week (coordinated by the WHO)
·       4th week of September – (International) Peace Week
·       The week in which November 11 falls – International Week of Science and Peace, recognized by the UN
·       Global Road Safety Week – held on different week each year, 2013: May 6-12; coordinated by WHO


International Months (with a community wellness focus)

January
·       Birth Defects Prevention Month
·       Cervical Cancer Screening Month
February
·       International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month
March
·       Mental Retardation Awareness Month
·       Multiple Sclerosis Education & Awareness Month
April
·       Global Child Nutrition Month
·       Alcohol Awareness Month
May
·       Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
·       Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month
·       Better Hearing & Speech Month
·       Better Sleep Month
·       Healthy Vision Month
·       Hepatitis Awareness Month
·       Osteoporosis Awareness & Prevention Month
June
·       LGBT Pride Month
·       National Safety Month
July
·       Eye Injury Prevention Month
·       UV Safety Month
August
·       Cataract Awareness Month
·       Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month
September
·       Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month
·       Healthy Aging Month
·       Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month
·       Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
·       Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
·       National Sickle Cell Month
October
·       Brain Injury Awareness Month
·       Breast Cancer Awareness Month
·       Depression & Mental Health Month
·       Domestic Violence Awareness Month
·       Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month
·       World Blindness Awareness Month
·       International Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month, International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC); www.isaac-online.org; www.aacawareness.org
November
·       Lung Cancer Awareness Month
·       Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month



January
·       January 11 – Independence Manifesto Day
·       January 21 – Eid El-Mawlid:  This is a celebration of the birth of the Prophet Mohamed, which takes place on the twelfth day of the third Islamic calendar month of Rabi' al-awwal and is observed by Muslims world-wide.
February
·       Tafraoute - End of the winter rains
March/April
·       Beni Mellal - Cotton harvest moussem
·       Fatih Mouharam - Islamic New Years
·       Ashura - Day of tithing
·       Aid el Arch - The coronation of King Mohammed VI
May
·       May 1 – Yaûm Al-Âmal (Labor Day)
·       Moulay Bousselham - Moussem of Sidi Ahmed Ben Mansour
·       Berkane - Harvest moussem for clementines
·       El Kelia des Mgouna - Rose festival to celebrate the new crops
·       Id el Mouloud - Prophet Mohammed's birthday
·       Ben Aissa Moussem - the largest of all moussems which includes amazing displays of fantasia, glass swallowing, etc.
June
·       Music Festival - Held in Fez. Musicians from all around the world join in this festival
·       Independence Day - A week long oceanside festival/party
·       Goulimine - traditionally a fair for camel traders
·       Tan Tan - Moussem of Sidi Mohammed Ma el Ainin. Guedra dance may be performed at this festival.
·       Gnaoua Festival - Music Festival
July
·       Marrakesh Popular Arts Festival - Traditional Moroccan folklore
·       Tetouan - Festival of Moulay Abdessalem which is celebrated very religiously in great splendor and ceremony.
·       Sefrou - Festival of the cherry harvest
·       Al Hoceima - Festival of the sea harvest
·       July 30 – Throne Day (celebrations, parades, fireworks)
August
·       August 8 – Eid al-Fitr  
·       August 14 – Zikra Oued Ed-Dahab (Allegiance Day) :  Known locally as Zikra Oued Ed-Dahab, this is the commemoration of the return of the Oued Eddahab region to Morocco by Mauritania.
·       August 20 – Thaourat al-malik wa shâab (Revolution of the King and the People Day)
·       August 21 – Celebration of the Young; Eid Al Milad/Birthday of King Mohammed VI  (2013-08-21)
·       Asilah Arts Festival - Exposure for local artists
·       Setti Fatma - Popular festival held in the Ourika valley
·       Sefrou - Festival of Sidi Lahcen el Youssi
·       El Jadida - Festival of Moulay Abdallah, featuring fantasias.
·       Tiznit - Moussem of Sidi Ahmed ou Moussa
·       Immouzer du Kandar – apple and pear harvesting festival 
·       Immouzer des Ida Outanane – honey festival
September
·       Chefchaouen - Moussem of Sidi Allal al Hadh.
·       Moulay Idriss Zerhoun - Moussem of Moulay Idriss, the patron saint of Fez
·       Imilchil - a marriage festival in the Atlas
October
·       October 15 – Eid ul-Adha
·       Erfoud Date Festival
November
·       November 6 – Eid Al Massira Al Khadra (Anniversary of the Green March)
·       November 14 – Fatih Muharram/Islamic New Year
·       November 18 – Eid Al Istiqulal (Independence Day)
·       Erfoud - a harvest festival
December
·       Rafsae - olive harvest festival
·       December 31 – Hajj Day

***Dates listed based on the 2013 Calendar and will vary year to year***


THANKS TO CASEY for putting this together