The Syrian holiday decree ignites historical and social controversy.

Cancellation of the October 6 Holiday

The cancellation of Syria’s national holiday commemorating the “liberation” October War triggered a dual backlash—both domestic and international. Supporters of the former Assad regime viewed the move as an insult to the “achievements” of the now-defunct Syrian army and its martyrs during the war, which they considered a limited victory. That war enabled Syria to reclaim a destroyed portion of Quneitra following marathon negotiations between Hafez al-Assad and then-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, culminating in the 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel.

Externally, Egyptian media outlets condemned the cancellation, with one commentator calling it a “disastrous decision,” while another described it as “bizarre and incomprehensible,” given that the day marks a historic victory for both nations.

The October War has remained a subject of controversy for years—some see it as a triumph, others as a defeat. Egypt regained Sinai through post-war peace negotiations, while Syria failed to reclaim the Golan Heights and only recovered part of Quneitra, which Israel deliberately handed over in ruins. Lines from Nizar Qabbani’s poem—“A stake driven beneath us from Mount Hermon to Sa’sa’”—remain a haunting testament to the unprecedented Israeli advance toward Damascus, following the collapse of Syrian forces after initial gains. Meanwhile, the Israeli army pushed toward Cairo through a breach known as the “Deversoir” on the Egyptian front.

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The Kurdish-Assyrian “Newroz” Holiday

Domestically, the decree also sparked fierce criticism from Syria’s Kurdish and Assyrian communities, who objected to the exclusion of the Newroz holiday (celebrated as the start of spring in their cultures) on March 21, which was replaced by Mother’s Day.

Kurdish activists denounced the decree on social media, and gatherings in Kurdish-majority areas under SDF control lit ceremonial fires to mark the occasion. Protesters demanded that the Syrian president reverse the decree and officially recognize the holiday—especially since Damascus had recently shown openness to Kurdish demands, including launching a Kurdish-language page for the state-run SANA news agency. However, the integration agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government remains suspended amid ongoing mutual accusations.

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Settling the March 15 vs. March 18 Debate

The decree introduced a new holiday on December 8 to mark “Liberation Day,” commemorating the revolution’s success in toppling the Assad regime on that date the previous year. It also resolved a long-standing dispute among revolution supporters over the movement’s true starting point—particularly between activists from Daraa and those from other regions of Syria. The decree designated March 18, 2011—the date of the first protests in Daraa—as the official beginning of the revolution, rather than the March 15 demonstration in Damascus’s Hamidiyah market.

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Cancellation of Martyrs’ Day

The decree also abolished the May 6 holiday known as Martyrs’ Day, which commemorated the execution of Arab nationalists in Lebanon and Syria by the Ottoman Empire’s Committee of Union and Progress during World War I in 1916. This holiday had been jointly observed with Lebanon.

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Decree No. 188

On September 29, 2025, Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara issued Presidential Decree No. 188, officially designating thirteen national holidays. The decree eliminated key observances including the October War holiday (October 6) and Martyrs’ Day (May 6), while adding two new holidays: the Revolution’s Beginning and Liberation Day. All other holidays remained unchanged, particularly religious ones, as well as Labor Day and the French Evacuation Day.

Syria – News Report