Constitution Day is a public holiday in Vanuatu, and it is observed on November 29 each year. The holiday commemorates the events in 1977 which led to the loss of life.
Vanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. People began to inhabit the islands about 3000 years ago. The Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de Queirós became the first European to arrive at the archipelago in 1606. Europeans and whaling ships began to visit the islands regularly in the following years.
Both France and the United Kingdom were interested in the islands and they agreed to administer the islands jointly in 1906.
Following the decolonization after World War II, independent movements in Vanuatu started in the early 1970s. Walter Lini established the New Hebrides National Party (NHNP) in 1971. In 1977, the party proclaimed the creation of the provisional government, which was resisted by the police and the event caused the loss of life.
Unity Day was created as a holiday to celebrate the unification of different groups into one nation in Vanuatu. During the holiday, representatives and high chiefs from all islands come to the capital city of Port Vila. Various celebrations including parades, native dancing, and sporting events occur across Vanuatu.
The following is the list of Unity Day in Vanuatu from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Unity Day | Nov 29, 2022 | Tuesday |
| Unity Day | Nov 29, 2023 | Wednesday |
| Unity Day | Nov 29, 2024 | Friday |
| Unity Day | Nov 29, 2025 | Saturday |
| Unity Day | Nov 29, 2026 | Sunday |
Please check more public holidays in Tuvalu: