Independence Day (Bahrain)
| Independence Day | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Independence Day |
| Observed by | Bahrainis |
| Significance | Cultural |
| Celebrations | Fireworks, concerts, parades |
| Date | 16 December |
| Next time | 16 December 2016 |
| Frequency | annual |
Bahrain Independence Day was on 16 December 1971, declaring independence from the British following a UN survey of the Bahraini population. The British announced the withdrawal of their troops east of Suez in the early 1960s.
Bahrain formally declared its independence on 15 August 1971,[1][2] marked by the signing of a friendship treaty with the British that terminated previous agreements between the two sides.[1][3]
Although 15 August is the actual date on which Bahrain gained its independence from the British, the state does not celebrate or mark that date. Instead, the state annually celebrates 16 December as "National Day" to coincide with the day that former ruler Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa was coronated to the throne. As such, 16 December is a national holiday and is usually celebrated with firework displays.[4]
In 2013, the opposition have called for mass protests to coincide with the day under the title Bahrain Tamarod.[5]
See also
References
- 1 2 Hume, Cameron R. (1994). The United Nations, Iran, and Iraq: How Peacemaking Changed. Indiana University Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-253-32874-8.
- ↑ Federal Research Division (2004). Bahrain. Kessinger Publishing. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-4191-0874-7.
- ↑ Blaustein, Albert P.; Sigler, Jay A. (1977). Independence Documents of the World 1. Brill Publishers. pp. 45–58. ISBN 978-0-379-00794-7.
- ↑ "Fireworks to mark National Day". World News. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2013. External link in
|work=(help) - ↑ "Bahrain warns against Egypt-inspired protests". Fox News. Agence France-Presse (AFP). 14 July 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.