UAE announces Eid al-Fitr holiday dates for private, public sector employees

The Eid al-Fitr holiday for federal and private sector employees in the UAE will begin on April 20, authorities in the Gulf country announced on Thursday.

The holiday has been extended until Shawwal 3, which will fall on April 23 or April 24 depending on whether Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days.

“The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources today announced that the Eid al-Fitr holiday for federal entities in the UAE will begin on 29th Ramadan until 3rd Shawwal 1444 H,” state-run WAM news agency reported.

Shortly after the announcement of the long weekend Eid al-Fitr holiday for the public sector, the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratization (MoHRE) announced the same dates off for employees in the private sector.

“The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has announced that Ramadan 29-Shawwal 3, 1444H will be a paid holiday for all employees in the private sector across the UAE, on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr,” the government body said in a social media post.

On April 3, a UAE-based astronomer said that the first day of Eid al-Fitr will fall on April 21, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

“Ramadan’s full moon will be on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 8.36 a.m. local time, while the crescent of the moon of Shawwal will be born on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 8.13 a.m., and will set 22 minutes after sunset,” Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomy Society Ibrahim al-Jarwan was quoted as saying on local media source UAE Barq.

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide as it marks the end of the month-long sunrise-to-sunset fasting period known as Ramadan.