Emancipation Day is a public holiday on the islands of Bonaire and Sint Eustatius, and it is observed on July 1 each year. The holiday commemorates the anniversary when slavery was officially abolished in the Netherlands on this day in 1863.
Bonaire and Sint Eustatius are two special municipalities of the Netherlands in the Caribbean Sea. Together with Saba, they consist of the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, also known as the Caribbean Netherlands.
From the late 15th century, Europeans began to bring African slaves to meet the labor demands in the newly colonized territories, and the transatlantic slave trade spanned over three centuries. The Slavery Abolition Act came into force in 1833 in the British Empire, and slavery was abolished on August 1, 1834, in the British Empire and colonies. The French government also abolished slavery in its colonies in 1848.
On July 1, 1863, the Netherlands abolished slavery and became one of the last western countries to abolish slavery.
The following is the list of Emancipation Day in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Emancipation Day | Jul 1, 2022 | Friday |
| Emancipation Day | Jul 1, 2023 | Saturday |
| Emancipation Day | Jul 1, 2024 | Monday |
| Emancipation Day | Jul 1, 2025 | Tuesday |
| Emancipation Day | Jul 1, 2026 | Wednesday |
Please check more public holidays in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba: