The United Arab Emirates has declared Monday, June 15, a public holiday for government employees and private sector workers to commemorate the Hijri New Year 1448.The announcement was made by the Federal Government’s Human Resources Management Authority and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, in accordance with the list of public holidays for 2026 approved by the UAE Cabinet.Government agencies and private companies will suspend operations for the day and resume normal business hours on Tuesday, June 16.Monday’s holiday will create a three-day weekend for employees with a Saturday-Sunday weekend. In Sharjah, government employees and students work four days a week, with Friday, Saturday and Sunday being weekly holidays, so they will have four days off.Muharram New Year marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar and is the first day of Muharram, the first month of Muharram.The festival commemorates Hijra, the migration of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from Mecca to Medina, a key event in Islamic history and the starting point of the Islamic calendar.The day is officially celebrated across the UAE as one of the country’s recognized public holidays.
