National Heroes Day is a public holiday in East Timor (Timor-Leste), and it is observed on December 31 each year. The holiday commemorates the death anniversary of Nicolau Lobato, the first Prime Minister of East Timor.
East Timor is an island country in Southeast Asia, and it became a Portuguese colony in 1702. During World War II, it was occupied by Australian and Dutch forces in 1941 and Japanese forces in 1942. Portuguese control was reinstated when the war ended, but the Portuguese abandoned the territory in 1974 following the Carnation Revolution.
The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) formally declared independence from Portugal on November 28, 1975, and Nicolau Lobato became the first Prime Minister of East Timor. He held the office for nine days before the Indonesian military invaded East Timor on December 7, 1975.
Nicolau Lobato and other key Fretilin leaders fled into the Timorese hinterland and fought against the Indonesian forces. However, he was ambushed by Indonesian special forces and was killed on December 31, 1978 at the age of 32.
The following is the list of National Heroes Day in East Timor (Timor-Leste) from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| National Heroes Day | Dec 31, 2022 | Saturday |
| National Heroes Day | Dec 31, 2023 | Sunday |
| National Heroes Day | Dec 31, 2024 | Tuesday |
| National Heroes Day | Dec 31, 2025 | Wednesday |
| National Heroes Day | Dec 31, 2026 | Thursday |
Please check more public holidays in East Timor (Timor-Leste):
