Kuwait expected to grant Public Holiday for start of Islamic Year 1448

KUWAIT CITY: In the Gulf country of Kuwait, government employees are likely to get one or two days of holidays on the occasion of the beginning of the new Islamic year 1448 Hijri.

The Kuwaiti cabinet has considered different holiday schedules according to the sighting of the moon and the duration of the month of Dhul-Hijjah.

According to media reports, the cabinet meeting chaired by Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Youssef Saud Al-Sabah reviewed the official holidays of the new Hijri year. The meeting clarified that the final announcement of the holidays will be made at the end of the month of Dhul-Hijjah and the sighting of the moon.

According to the cabinet, if Dhul-Hijjah is 29 days long, the official holiday of the new Islamic year will be on Tuesday, June 16. On that day, all ministries, government offices, public institutions and corporations will remain closed, while normal activities will resume from Wednesday, June 17.

On the other hand, if Dhul-Hijjah proves to be a full month of 30 days, the official holiday will be on Wednesday, June 17. In this case, Thursday, June 18, may also be declared a rest day, after which government offices and institutions will reopen on Sunday, June 21, thus government employees are likely to get the benefit of long holidays.

The cabinet also clarified that institutions involved in public services and essential operations will be able to arrange their own holiday schedule in collaboration with the relevant authorities as per their administrative requirements so that the flow of public services is not affected.