Liberation Day in Yemen – October 14, 2022
Liberation Day in Yemen is celebrated annually on October 14. It is counted as an important public holiday in the Republic of Yemen. This holiday commemorates the start of the Uprising against British rule on this day in the year 1963.
This holiday was particularly remarked on and revered by the south part of Yemen as they were the ones who remained under British control, unlike North Yemen. This was only the beginning, as it took around four years to end the agonizing fight.
HISTORY OF LIBERATION DAY IN YEMEN
Liberation Day in Yemen is a public holiday observed in Yemen on October 14 every year since 1963. Yemen is located in Western Asia. The country was divided between the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire in the 1800s. North Yemen was part of the Ottoman Empire during that time and gained independence after the First World War I in the year 1918. Unfortunately, South Yemen remained a British protectorate that began in 1869. They are also called the Aden Protectorate.
The start of the Arab or Radfan revolution took place in the 1960s. This is the time people from South Yemen began and felt the need to fight for their own independence. Two anti-British guerilla groups called National Liberation Front (N.L.F), and the Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY) were formed and coordinated. The N.L.F and FLOSY initiated the armed resistance by throwing a grenade at a meeting of British officials at Aden airport on October 14, 1963. This was then ultimately called the Aden Emergency.
The Aden Emergency took years of work and attempts until the British forces left Aden in 1967 because of the countless guerilla attacks. After their departure, the Protectorate of South Arabia and the Federation of South Arabia joined together and formed the People’s Republic of Southern Yemen on November 30, 1967, which is essentially their independence day.
LIBERATION DAY IN YEMEN TIMELINE
1800s
The Division of North and South
Yemen is divided into the Ottoman and the British empire.
1918
Change in Autonomy
After World War I, North Yemen gains independence.
1963
The Start of an Uprising
On October 14, the fight for liberation begins.
1967
Worth the Fight
After four years of struggle, South Yemen acquires peace and independence.
HOW TO OBSERVE LIBERATION DAY IN YEMEN
Be an active citizen
Show that you’re celebrating your country’s independence by being a good abiding citizen. Obey your country’s laws and show your pride.
Wear your country’s colors
Wear patriotic colors. To show your love for your people and country, use your clothing to truly make a statement.
Learn the history
Learn about what truly happened in the country to understand the significance of the holiday. Recognize that it’s more than just a day to be free from work or school — but it is more about acknowledging what’s been celebrated on this day every year.
5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT YEMEN
There are many notable celebrities
Tawakkul Karman was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.
Mocha was named after a city
The Mocha city of Yemen was known as the world’s best kind of coffee.
Women have the power to vote
In the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen grants women to vote first.
It is strategically located
The Red Sea is to the West of Yemen.
Islam is the main religion
Among all the different practiced religions, Islam is the state religion.
WHY LIBERATION DAY IN YEMEN IS IMPORTANT
The country is amazing
Yemen was known as the “happy land” back then in ancient times. Its high mountains are beautiful and are known to attract rain, making the country more fertile than others.
It celebrates its architecture
Yemen has a city called Shibam, famous for mudbrick high-rise buildings. These high-rise buildings date back to the 16th century, and the city was considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.
Coffee is part of their agriculture
Who doesn’t love coffee? The city of Mocha used to be the center of the world coffee trade. Yemen is still one of the most important countries for exporting coffee.
