UAE residents rang in the New Year with a public holiday, but now face a wait for their next break from work.
The UAE Cabinet confirmed holiday dates for both the public and private sector for 2023 towards the end of last year.
It started with a public holiday on January 1, with Eid Al Fitr the next opportunity for the nation to enjoy some additional leisure time.
When is Ramadan 2023?
Eid is the festival which marks the end of Ramadan, which this year will begin in March.
The start date of the holy month will be determined by the sighting of a new crescent moon, as the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle.
Based on current calculations, Ramadan is expected to start on March 23. This means means Eid Al Fitr is set to be celebrated from Thursday, April 20 to Sunday, April 23.
When is the first day off in 2023?
Eid Al Fitr marks the beginning of the Islamic month Shawwal. The Cabinet said the holiday will be between Ramadan 29 and Shawwal 3 which is expected to be from April 20 to 23.
Next comes Arafat Day, the second day of the week-long Hajj pilgrimage, set to take place on Dhu Al Hijja 9, which is expected to be June 27.
Arafat Day will be followed by Eid Al Adha, one of the most important days in the Muslim calendar. It will fall between Dhu Al Hijja 10 and 12 — expected to be June 28 to 30.
The public holiday to mark Islamic New Year falls on July 21.
Prophet Mohammed's birthday follows that, with a public holiday on September 29.
The holiday for National Day falls on December 2 and 3.
UAE Holidays to come in 2023
April 20 to 23: Eid Al Fitr
June 27: Arafat Day
June 28 to 30: Eid Al Adha
July 21: Islamic New Year
September 29: Prophet Mohammed’s birthday
December 2 and 3: UAE National Day
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The biog
Name: Maitha Qambar
Age: 24
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Education: Master’s Degree
Favourite hobby: Reading
She says: “Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone learns from their experiences”
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
