Evacuation Day
🇹🇳 Tunisia
- Public Holiday
- Countrywide
- Fixed date
Overview
Evacuation Day, known in Arabic as Eid al-Jala, marks the withdrawal of French military forces from Tunisia. It is observed every 15 October as a national public holiday and commemorates the moment Tunisia's territory was fully free of foreign troops.
What It Is
Evacuation Day is a fixed-date public holiday in Tunisia, falling on 15 October each year. It appears on the national calendar alongside other civic anniversaries such as Independence Day on 20 March and Republic Day on 25 July. As on other national holidays, the day is an occasion for official commemoration of the country's sovereignty, and it is a day off for most workers.
Why It Matters
Tunisia gained independence from France in 1956, but French forces remained at the Bizerte naval base on the Mediterranean coast for several more years. Their departure on 15 October 1963 completed the withdrawal of foreign troops and gave the country full control over its own territory. For that reason the date is remembered as the final step in securing sovereignty, a point where formal independence became complete in practice.
Countries Celebrating
1 country
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