Constitution Day is a public holiday in Vanuatu, and it is observed on October 5 each year. The holiday commemorates the anniversary when the Constitution of Vanuatu was enacted in 1979.
Vanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. People began to inhabit the islands about 3000 years ago. The Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de Queirós became the first European to arrive at the archipelago in 1606. Europeans and whaling ships began to visit the islands regularly in the following years.
Both France and the United Kingdom were interested in the islands and they agreed to administer the islands jointly in 1906. After World War II, the joint government started to focus on modernization and economic development.
Following the decolonization after World War II, independent movements in Vanuatu started in the early 1970s. Walter Lini established the New Hebrides National Party (NHNP) in 1971. In 1977, the representatives from France, Britain, and Vanuatu held a conference in Paris and agreed that Vanuatu will become independent.
On October 5, 1979, the Constitution of Vanuatu was enacted, and on July 30, 1980, Vanuatu gained independence. Walter Lini was the first Prime Minister.
The following is the list of Constitution Day in Vanuatu from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Constitution Day | Oct 05, 2022 | Wednesday |
| Constitution Day | Oct 05, 2023 | Thursday |
| Constitution Day | Oct 05, 2024 | Saturday |
| Constitution Day | Oct 05, 2025 | Sunday |
| Constitution Day | Oct 05, 2026 | Monday |
Please check more public holidays in Tuvalu: