National Heroes and Benefactors Day is a public holiday in Belize, and it is observed on the Monday closest to March 9, except it falls on a Saturday.
National Heroes and Benefactors Day was in honor of Baron Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss, although it is now to honor all Belizean heroes and benefactors.
Baron Bliss was born in Henry Edward Ernest Victor de Barreto in 1869, and spent his childhood in Buckinghamshire, England. He became paralyzed in 1911 at the age of 42, but he remained active and became an avid sailor.
He cumulated enough wealth, and after World War I, he retired. He spent several years in the Caribbean and settled down in Belize, which was called British Honduras at that time. Baron Bliss died on March 9, 1926. At the time of his death, his fortune was worth about 1.8 million Belize dollars.
He willed his fortune to Belize and gave specific instructions on how to use the money to benefit the communities. The government declared March 9 to be Baron Bliss Day after his death. In 2008, the holiday was changed to National Heroes and Benefactors Day in honor of all Belizean heroes and benefactors.
The following is the list of National Heroes and Benefactors Day in Belize from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| National Heroes and Benefactors Day | Mar 07, 2022 | Monday |
| National Heroes and Benefactors Day | Mar 06, 2023 | Monday |
| National Heroes and Benefactors Day | Mar 11, 2024 | Monday |
| National Heroes and Benefactors Day | Mar 10, 2025 | Monday |
| National Heroes and Benefactors Day | Mar 09, 2026 | Monday |
Please check more public holidays in Belize:
