Saudi Flag Day (Arabic: يوم العلم السعودي), officially the Flag Day (Arabic: يوم العلم),[1] is a public holiday in Saudi Arabia observed annually on March 11 to commemorate the adoption of the unstandardized version of the country's national flag by King Abdulaziz ibn Saud in 1937.[2] It was first celebrated on the 86th anniversary of the adoption in 2023,[3] when King Salman bin Abdulaziz designated it as the nation's third non-religious legal holiday to be observed as per the Gregorian calendar after Saudi National Day and Saudi Founding Day.
| Saudi Flag Day يوم العلم السعودي | |
|---|---|
 Current official flag of Saudi Arabia | |
| Official name | Flag Day |
| Observed by | Saudi Arabia |
| Type | Historic |
| Significance | Official adoption of the Saudi national flag in 1937 |
| Date | 11 March |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | 2023 |
| Started by | Salman bin Abdulaziz |
Overview
editAround Saudi Arabia's unification and proclamation in 1932, Ibn Saud customized the country's green flag by inserting a sword below the Islamic creed.[4] On March 11, 1937, he officially adopted the flag to represent Saudi Arabia internationally. The flag was in official use for 36 years until 1973 when King Faisal standardized it.[5]
On March 1, 2023, the Saudi Press Agency reported that King Salman issued the Royal Decree No. A/303 that designated 11 March as The Flag Day.[6] Ten days later, celebrations were observed across the country. Salman highlighted the importance of Flag Day, citing it as a factor to consolidate national identity.[7]
The celebration of Flag Day is an affirmation of our pride in our national identity, its historic symbolism that has great connotations and profound implications, which embodies our constants, and a source of pride in our history.
The cultural ministry organized artistic activities for three days including a theatrical show.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Saudi Arabia marks Flag Day on Saturday". Saudigazette. 2023-03-10. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia celebrates Flag Day for the first time". gulfnews.com. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ Fatima, Sakina (2023-03-02). "Saudi Arabia to mark 'Flag Day' on March 11 every year". The Siasat Daily. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia's flag: The legacy of a national symbol". Saudigazette. 2023-03-11. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ Porsche-Ludwig, Markus; Chen, Ying-Yu (2022). Handbook Near and Middle East States: Geography - History - Culture - Politics - Economy. LIT Verlag Münster. ISBN 978-3-643-91136-0.
- ^ البيان (12 March 2023). "رسمياً.. 3 تعديلات جديدة على العلم السعودي". www.albayan.ae (in Arabic). Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ "King Salman: Celebrating Flag Day consolidates national identity". Saudigazette. 2023-03-11. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia marks Flag Day for 1st time". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2023-03-12.