National Youth Day is a public holiday in East Timor (Timor-Leste), observed on November 12 each year. The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Santa Cruz massacre.
The Portuguese arrived in East Timor in the early 16th century and made the territory a Portuguese colony in 1702. In 1974, the Portuguese abandoned the territory.
The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) declared independence from Portugal on November 28, 1975. However, the Indonesian military occupied East Timor nine days after. Fretilin key members and many people fled into the hinterland and fought against the Indonesian forces.
The Indonesian occupation lasted 24 years, and the period was marked by violence and brutality. The independence movement against Indonesian control never stopped. In 1991, Sebastião Gomes, an independence supporter, was shot by Indonesian soldiers and died. Thousands of people attended his funeral on November 12, 1991. The march was peaceful and orderly, but the Indonesian soldiers opened fire on unarmed civilians when they arrived at the Santa Cruz cemetery. At least 250 people died, becoming one of the bloodiest days in East Timor.
The following is the list of National Youth Day in East Timor (Timor-Leste) from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| National Youth Day | Nov 12, 2022 | Saturday |
| National Youth Day | Nov 12, 2023 | Sunday |
| National Youth Day | Nov 12, 2024 | Tuesday |
| National Youth Day | Nov 12, 2025 | Wednesday |
| National Youth Day | Nov 12, 2026 | Thursday |
Please check more public holidays in East Timor (Timor-Leste):