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YOUTH DAY

When is Youth Day in 2025?

Youth Day in 2025 is on the Monday, 16th of Jun (6/16/2025).

Youth Day is on the 167th day of 2025. There are 198 days left in the year.

Youth Day Facts

  • Date: Jun 16, 2025
  • National
  • Also Called: National Youth Day
  • Celebrations: Musical Concerts, Youth awareness programs
Youth Day iImage Credit: wikiPedia

Youth Day in South Africa commemorates the Soweto Uprising in the country. The day is celebrated on June 16 every year. The day is celebrated in order to recognize the role of youth in the liberation of South Africa from the Apartheid regime.

The grounds of the movement lay in a 1974 official order which made Afrikaans compulsory in schools. The order stated that Afrikaans be used in conjunction with English for teaching in schools. Certain subjects like social studies, mathematics and algebra were required to be taught in Afrikaans while others like home science and general science were required to be taught in English. The use of local languages was prohibited was these subjects citing a provision in constitution which laid down Afrikaans and English as the official languages of the country.

Afrikaans was largely seen by people as the "language of the oppressor" and it resulted in growing resentment in teachers as well as students. It was on April 30, 1976 when the resentment crossed all thresholds and the students of Orlando West Junior High School refused to go to school. On the morning of June 16, 1976, thousands of black students went on a protest rally from their schools to Orlando Stadium.

Although the rally was intended to be a peace protest, things soon got out of control and riots were seen all over the place. Hundreds of students were killed during the protest. Although this youth revolution did not see the taking back of the language order immediately, it did see a turning point in South Africa's liberation campaign which ultimately saw the downfall of the apartheid government there.

The Youth Day in South Africa is celebrated in memory of all the youngsters who lost their lives during the protest, especially the death of Hector Pieterson, a 12 year old student who was killed during the uprising. The day is celebrated with musical concerts around the country in order to celebrate the energy of youth. The day also sees various educational discussions being organized by school and college students around the country. Various youth oriented non- profit organizations also organize awareness campaigns on this day to make the youth of the country aware of the challenges in the current environment of the country. It was the Soweto Uprising which laid the grounds for the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of the Apartheid regime in the country.

Youth Day Observances

DAY
DATE
HOLIDAY NAME
  • Tue
  • Jun 16, 2009
  • Youth Day
  • Wed
  • Jun 16, 2010
  • Youth Day
  • Thu
  • Jun 16, 2011
  • Youth Day
  • Sat
  • Jun 16, 2012
  • Youth Day
  • Mon
  • Jun 17, 2013

List of National and Regional Public Holidays of South Africa in 2024

DAYDATEHOLIDAY
MondayMonJan 01, 2024Jan 01New Year's Day
ThursdayThuMar 21, 2024Mar 21Human Rights Day
FridayFriMar 29, 2024Mar 29Good Friday
SundaySunMar 31, 2024Mar 31Easter
MondayMonApr 01, 2024Apr 01Family Day
SaturdaySatApr 27, 2024Apr 27Freedom Day
WednesdayWedMay 01, 2024May 01Workers Day
SaturdaySatMay 25, 2024May 25Africa Day
SundaySunJun 16, 2024Jun 16Youth Day
MondayMonJun 17, 2024Jun 17Youth Day Holidays
ThursdayThuJul 18, 2024Jul 18Nelson Mandela's Birthday
FridayFriAug 09, 2024Aug 09National Women's Day
TuesdayTueSep 24, 2024Sep 24Heritage Day
MondayMonDec 16, 2024Dec 16Day of Reconciliation
WednesdayWedDec 25, 2024Dec 25Christmas Day
ThursdayThuDec 26, 2024Dec 26Day of Goodwill

List of Popular Celebration Days of United States in 2024

DAYDATEHOLIDAY
FridayFriJan 12, 2024Jan 12National Pharmacists Day
FridayFriJan 19, 2024Jan 19National Popcorn Day
FridayFriFeb 02, 2024Feb 02Groundhog Day
FridayFriFeb 02, 2024Feb 02National Wear Red Day
WednesdayWedFeb 07, 2024Feb 07National Signing Day
FridayFriFeb 09, 2024Feb 09National Pizza Day
TuesdayTueFeb 13, 2024Feb 13Galentine's Day
TuesdayTueFeb 13, 2024Feb 13National Pancake Day
WednesdayWedFeb 14, 2024Feb 14Valentine's Day
ThursdayThuFeb 15, 2024Feb 15National Bagel Day
SundaySunFeb 18, 2024Feb 18National Drink Wine Day
ThursdayThuFeb 22, 2024Feb 22National Margarita Day
ThursdayThuFeb 29, 2024Feb 29Leap Day
FridayFriMar 01, 2024Mar 01National Employee Appreciation Day
ThursdayThuMar 07, 2024Mar 07National Cereal Day
SundaySunMar 10, 2024Mar 10Daylight savings
MondayMonMar 11, 2024Mar 11National Napping Day
ThursdayThuMar 14, 2024Mar 14National Walkout Day
ThursdayThuMar 14, 2024Mar 14National Pi Day
WednesdayWedMar 20, 2024Mar 20National Proposal Day
SaturdaySatMar 23, 2024Mar 23National Puppy Day
SaturdaySatMar 30, 2024Mar 30National Doctor Day
WednesdayWedApr 03, 2024Apr 03National Walking Day
ThursdayThuApr 04, 2024Apr 04National Burrito Day
SundaySunApr 07, 2024Apr 07National Beer Day
ThursdayThuApr 11, 2024Apr 11National Pet Day
FridayFriApr 12, 2024Apr 12National Grilled Cheese Day
ThursdayThuMay 02, 2024May 02National Day Of Prayer
SundaySunMay 12, 2024May 12Mother's Day
SaturdaySatMay 25, 2024May 25National Towel Day
SaturdaySatMay 25, 2024May 25National Wine Day
FridayFriJun 07, 2024Jun 07National Donut Day
SaturdaySatJun 08, 2024Jun 08National Best Friends Day
SundaySunJun 16, 2024Jun 16Father's Day
FridayFriJun 21, 2024Jun 21National Selfie Day
SaturdaySatJun 22, 2024Jun 22National Kissing Day
SaturdaySatJul 13, 2024Jul 13National French Fry Day
SundaySunJul 14, 2024Jul 14National Nude Day
WednesdayWedJul 17, 2024Jul 17National Hot Dog Day
SundaySunJul 21, 2024Jul 21National Ice Cream Day
TuesdayTueJul 23, 2024Jul 23Amazon Prime Day
WednesdayWedJul 24, 2024Jul 24National Tequila Day
MondayMonJul 29, 2024Jul 29National Chicken Wing Day
ThursdayThuAug 01, 2024Aug 01National Girlfriends Day
SundaySunAug 04, 2024Aug 04National Sister Day
WednesdayWedSep 18, 2024Sep 18National Cheeseburger Day
ThursdayThuOct 03, 2024Oct 03National Boyfriends Day
FridayFriOct 04, 2024Oct 04National Vodka Day
FridayFriOct 04, 2024Oct 04National Taco Day
WednesdayWedOct 09, 2024Oct 09Leif Erikson Day
SaturdaySatOct 19, 2024Oct 19Sweetest Day
TuesdayTueOct 29, 2024Oct 29National Cat Day
ThursdayThuOct 31, 2024Oct 31Halloween
SundaySunNov 03, 2024Nov 03National Sandwich Day
FridayFriNov 29, 2024Nov 29Black Friday
MondayMonDec 02, 2024Dec 02Cyber Monday
SaturdaySatDec 07, 2024Dec 07Candle Day
MondayMonDec 09, 2024Dec 09National Pastry Day
FridayFriDec 20, 2024Dec 20National Ugly Sweater day