National Anthem and Flag Day is a public holiday in Aruba, and it is observed on March 18 each year. The holiday commemorates the anniversary when the proposal to separate from the Netherlands Antilles was first presented in 1848.
Aruba is an island country in the Caribbean Sea. The island became a Spanish colony in 1499. However, the island became less important with the progress of the colonization on the continent, also because it was not profitable due to the low rainfall and arid landscape.
The Netherlands captured Aruba from Spain in 1636. It became part of the Colony of Curaçao and Dependencies in 1815, and the Netherlands Antilles in 1948.
On March 18, 1948, the Aruban delegation presented to separate from the Netherlands Antilles during the round table conference in the Netherlands.
Betico Croes, an Aruban political activist, proposed the Aruban flag and Anthem as symbols to strengthen the independence consciousness. In 1976, the inauguration of the Aruban flag and national Anthem took place in the Wilhelmina Stadium in Dakota, and March 18 was declared a public holiday.
Ten years after, Aruba became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1986 and named as Country of Aruba.
The following is the list of National Anthem and Flag Day in Aruba from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| National Anthem and Flag Day | Mar 18, 2022 | Friday |
| National Anthem and Flag Day | Mar 18, 2023 | Saturday |
| National Anthem and Flag Day | Mar 18, 2024 | Monday |
| National Anthem and Flag Day | Mar 18, 2025 | Tuesday |
| National Anthem and Flag Day | Mar 18, 2026 | Wednesday |
Please check more public holidays in the Country of Aruba: