Republic Day (Malta)

Republic Day
Republic Day
	The Republic Day monument in Zejtun.
Also called	Freedom Day
Observed by	Malta
Significance	Celebrates the transformation of the country to a republic.
Observances	Military events; Awards ceremonies; Fireworks;
Date	13 December
Next time	13 December 2025
Frequency	annual

Republic Day (Maltese: Jum ir-Repubblika) is a public holiday celebrated in Malta on 13 December. It celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the Republic of Malta in 1974, and the ending of the role of Elizabeth II as Queen of Malta, under which Sir Anthony Mamo, the last Governor-General, was sworn in as the first President. British troops did not leave the country until 31 March 1979.

Events on 13 December

The main state sponsored celebrations take place in the center of the country's capital, Valletta. The National Festivities Committee is responsible for organizing Republic Day events annually.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Awards ceremony

The President of Malta usually presents awards to those who have served Malta in the military/political sphere and public figures who are considered to be effective representatives of the country.

Fireworks

A fireworks display is annually held over the Grand Harbour.

Monument

A wreath laying ceremony is held at the Republic Day Monument in Marsa. Monuments are also erected during the holiday for wreath laying procedures.

Military parade

A traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony and parade is the main military event that takes place on the day. The parade takes place in St. George’s Square in Valletta, where the Presidential Colour is trooped through the ranks of the Armed Forces of Malta. The salute is taken by the President of Malta, in their position as the commander in chief of the AFM. It is similar to the British version of the ceremony, with the parade being composed of 1 Colour Escort Guard and 3 other Guard units, accompanied by the Armed Forces of Malta Band. In the march-past, two marches are performed, By Land and Sea (for the march in slow time) and The British Grenadiers (for the march in quick time). At the conclusion of the ceremony, the guards perform a ceremonial Feu de joie.

Links

References

Media related to Republic Day (Malta) at Wikimedia Commons

[1] "Republic Day in Malta in 2021".

[2] "VisitMalta".

[3] "Malta Republic Day - EU".

[4] "Republic Day 2021, 2022 and 2023".

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