Memorial Day is a public holiday in East Timor (Timor-Leste), observed on December 7 each year. The holiday commemorates those who lost their lives fighting for independence during the Indonesian occupation.
East Timor is an island country in Southeast Asia. The Portuguese arrived in the early 16th century and became a Portuguese colony in 1702. During World War II, Australian and Dutch forces occupied East Timor in 1941, and the Japanese occupied it in 1942. East Timor was returned to Portugal in 1945, but the Portuguese abandoned it in 1974.
On November 28, 1975, the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) declared independence from Portugal. However, the Indonesian military occupied East Timor on December 7, 1975, and made it the 27th Indonesian province in 1976. Fretilin's key members fled into the hinterland and fought against the Indonesian forces.
The Indonesian occupation lasted 24 years, marked by violence and brutality. Approximately 200,000 people died of the massacre, hunger, and illness. The invasion day of December 7 is adopted as the celebration day of Memorial Day.
The following is the list of Memorial Day in East Timor (Timor-Leste) from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | Dec 07, 2022 | Wednesday |
| Memorial Day | Dec 07, 2023 | Thursday |
| Memorial Day | Dec 07, 2024 | Saturday |
| Memorial Day | Dec 07, 2025 | Sunday |
| Memorial Day | Dec 07, 2026 | Monday |
Please check more public holidays in East Timor (Timor-Leste):