National Day

Oman’s National Day is the country’s principal civic celebration. Since Royal Decree No. 15/2025 amended the holiday law, the statutory National Day dates are November 20 and 21. The date is connected with the foundation of the Al Busaidi state in 1744, the dynasty that continues to rule Oman, and offers a national moment for reflecting on history, identity and the future.

The two-day holiday can be highly visible in public life. Flags decorate streets and buildings; official ceremonies, performances and media programming celebrate Omani culture; and families often combine national events with ordinary time together. Exact observed days can still be adjusted by official decision, so current government announcements remain the final authority.

National Day’s civic language works on several scales: national symbols and ceremonial events sit alongside local heritage, family gatherings and the many ways communities tell the story of Oman. It is best understood as a shared public holiday, not as one mandatory form of celebration.

The legal and observed dates must be separated. Royal Decree No. 15/2025 changed the statutory National Day dates from November 18–19 to November 20–21, linking the occasion to the 1744 establishment of the Al Busaidi state rather than to Sultan Qaboos’s November 18 birthday. Under the decree’s public-interest flexibility, Oman’s advance calendar moved the actual 2026 public and private-sector holidays to Wednesday and Thursday, November 25–26. Calendar entries should show those operative closure dates while explaining the statutory reform.