Every year on the 23rd of September, Saudi Arabians celebrate their nation’s creation. Originally known as Al-Yawm al Watani, or The National Day, it commemorates when King Abdulaziz declared his Kingdom unified in 1932. The date of this important holiday may move forward one day each year due to the Gregorian calendar changing from a 365-day cycle to one 366 days long every four years.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will celebrate its 92nd National Day holiday on Friday, September 23rd, 2022. This year the Saudi National Day Holiday will fall on Thursday, but if it falls on Saturday instead then this upcoming Sunday would be a public holiday in return. If it falls on a Friday, then there will be another day off for workers so they can rest.
What Does The Saudi Flag Symbolize?
As you probably know, one of the most well-known colors seen throughout National Day is green. The flag for Saudi Arabia also uses this color scheme for its design; the top half displays Arabic calligraphy reading There is no god but Allah while the bottom half contains an inscription that says Muhammad is the messenger of God. This phrase can be found in many Islamic prayer services as they mention it at least five times a day.

Below the bas-relief, there is a sword that represents King Abdul Aziz. The dominant color of the flag – blue – can be seen as homage to Islam while it being known as the favorite color of Mohammed, who was Prophet during this time period..
In addition, like many other countries around the world, Saudi Arabia’s flag stands for its illustrious history, strong philosophical beliefs and national pride; which is most evident during National Day. On this day you will find no shortage of people wearing green clothes while being proud of their heritage – as well as countless green flags flying throughout the country.
How People Used To Celebrate The Saudi National Day Holiday Before The Pandemic?
Citizens of Saudi Arabia look forward to National Day because it means they can take time off from work and spend time with friends or family for two days- sometimes more if there are public holidays.
Officials had various light shows and cultural events taking place across the country’s capital during the event. This included malls, hotels, restaurants – even some of the most obscure buildings – all of which offered specially marked prices on their goods and services. With so much happening everywhere at once people couldn’t help but feel that this day deserved some extra attention.
In addition, because of how important it is, Saudi National Day has traditionally been considered an election day for the Saudi government to announce new changes and policies.
In 2009, for example, King Abdullah University of Technology was inaugurated on September 23rd with many heads of state coming from all over to take part. One year later in 2014, Jeddah sought to impress visitors when they unveiled the world’s tallest flagpole- specifically made to commemorate Saudi Arabia’s National Day celebrations.
Did Saudi Arabia Celebrate Its National Day Holiday From The Start?
In 1932, Saudi Arabia was founded when Abdulaziz Ibn Saud formed an alliance between all of the different tribes and families. He then went on to become its first king and later oversaw the building of Islam’s holiest sites.

Although historically rooted, National Day has been commemorated as the only national holiday since 2005. In previous years, Saudi Arabia recognized mainly religious holidays such as Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha.
Let us take a closer look at how the Kingdom celebrates this special day for its people.
Upcoming Saudi Arabia National Day Dates:
| YEAR | DATE | DAY OF THE WEEK | OFFICIAL HOLIDAY NAME |
| 2021 | September, 23rd | THURSDAY | SAUDI ARABIA NATIONAL DAY 2021 |
| 2022 | September, 23rd | FRIDAY | SAUDI ARABIA NATIONAL DAY 2022 |
| 2023 | September, 23rd | SATURDAY | SAUDI ARABIA NATIONAL DAY 2023 |
| 2024 | September, 23rd | MONDAY | SAUDI ARABIA NATIONAL DAY 2024 |