Eid Al-Fitr Holidays Announced for Private and Public Sectors in the UAE

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE

With the Holy Month of Ramadan coming to an end, the UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has announced the Eid Al-Fitr holidays for the private sector. The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has also confirmed the number of days off for the public sector.

According to the ministries, both sectors will have paid holidays starting from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3 of the Islamic calendar. While the exact date of Eid Al-Fitr depends on the moon-sighting, the 29th day of Ramadan corresponds to Tuesday, May 11, and the 3rd day of Shawwal is expected to be on Saturday, May 15. This means the private and public sectors will receive four days off, resulting in a long weekend. 

After announcing the holiday dates, The National Emergency and Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) also sent out a reminder of the safety guidelines and protocol UAE residents must adhere to while celebrating Eid. On Twitter, the NCEMA stated, “As Eid Al-Fitr is approaching, we call upon everyone to cooperate and adhere to the measures in place, and avoid family visits and gatherings.”

They added: “Please limit gathering to members of the same household, to wear masks and abide by physical distancing while sitting with the elderly and those with chronic diseases.” They also recommended “conducting Eid greeting through electronic communication channels, and not to exchange food and gifts among neighbors”.

Lastly, the NCEMA urges people to refrain from giving any form of “Eidiya” (money gifts during Eid) to children or even cashing them from banks and circulating them among individuals during this period and using electronic alternatives instead.

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