Public holidayNational

Patriots' Victory Dayየአርበኞች ቀን

Name: Patriots' Victory Day (Ye'arbegnoch Qen)
Start: 2027-05-05
Location: Ethiopia

May 5, 2027 · Miyazia 27, 2019 E.C. · in 209 days

Patriots' Victory Day honours the Arbegnoch — the patriots who waged a five-year resistance against the Italian occupation of 1936–1941 — and celebrates the liberation of Addis Ababa on 5 May 1941, when Emperor Haile Selassie returned to the capital.

The patriots and the liberation

When Italy occupied Ethiopia in 1936, resistance never ceased. Across the country, guerrilla fighters known as the Arbegnoch — men and women alike — harried the occupiers from the mountains and countryside until, with Allied support in the East African Campaign, Ethiopia was liberated.

On 5 May 1941, exactly five years after it fell, Addis Ababa was freed and Emperor Haile Selassie re-entered the capital, restoring Ethiopia's independence.

How Patriots' Day is observed

The day is marked with ceremonies honouring surviving patriots and the memory of those who fell, including wreath-laying at monuments to the resistance. It stands alongside Adwa as a celebration of Ethiopia's enduring independence.

Greetings in Amharic

መልካም የአርበኞች ቀንMelkam Ye'arbegnoch Qen“Happy Patriots' Day”

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Patriots' Victory Day (Ye'arbegnoch Qen) greeting card to share — Amharic — Greeting card
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Frequently asked questions

When is Patriots' Victory Day in Ethiopia?

Patriots' Victory Day falls on Miyazia 27 in the Ethiopian calendar, which corresponds to 5 May on the Gregorian calendar in most years (6 May in some). It marks the 1941 liberation of Addis Ababa.