Holidays Calendar for March 21, 2026
Public Holidays →
Afghanistan,
Azerbaijan,
Iran,
Iraq,
Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan
Nowruz
Nowruz is one of the most widely celebrated New Year’s holidays around the world. Also known as Persian New Year or Iranian New Year, it observed on the day of the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.
Namibia celebrates its Independence Day on March 21. On this day in 1990, Namibia gained independence from the South African rule, becoming one of the last African countries to achieve full independence.
Human Rights Day is observed across the world on December 10. But there is no rule without an exception. South Africa celebrates Human Rights Day on March 21 in remembrance of the Sharpeville massacre of 1960.
World Wood Day is an annual celebration held on March 21. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of wood in a sustainable world and its responsible use.
World Puppetry Day is annually celebrated on March 21. The idea to celebrate this holiday belongs to puppeteer Dzhivada Zolfagariho from Iran.
Color is one of the most influential phenomena in people's lives, and it's an important channel contributing to the perception of reality. All these laid foundation to celebration of International Color Day on March 21.
Early Music Day is a series of concerts, workshops, conferences, and other events that aim to promote early music. They are held simultaneously across Europe, as well as in Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, the United States, and other countries. Early Music Day is celebrated on March 21 every year.
Enjoy a glass of flavorful wine or a delicious cocktail on March 21 because it is World Vermouth Day. The holiday was created to celebrate an aromatized fortified wine that originated in Italy in the 18th century and has since become a crucial ingredient in many popular cocktails.
Global Surveyors’ Day is celebrated annually on March 21. It was created to recognize one of the world’s oldest professions and highlight the many contributions by surveyors in all aspects of human life.
Motosport fans around the world celebrate International Sports Car Racing Day on the third Saturday of March each year. The holiday coincides with the 12 Hours of Sebring, one of the three sports car racing events that make up the Triple Crown of endurance racing.
Border Guard Day is an official professional holiday in Georgia celebrated annually on March 21. It honors the active personnel and veterans of the Border Police of Georgia.
Arbor Day is an annual holiday dedicated to planting and taking care of trees. It is observed in many countries, but its date varies from one country to another depending on the climate which determines the tree planting season. For example, Belgium, Portugal and Lesotho celebrate Arbor Day on March 21.
National Renewable Energy Day is celebrated annually on March 21 to raise awareness of the need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and promote renewable sources of energy such as sunlight, wind, water, and geothermal heat.
March 21 is Harmony Day in Australia. This observance was created to show cohesion and inclusion in Australia and promote a cultural diversity.
Oltenia Day (Ziua Olteniei) is a Romanian holiday that was formally established in 2017 to commemorate the entry of Tudor Vladimirescu’s rebel forces into Bucharest during the Wallachian uprising of 1821. It is observed annually on March 21.
San Fabian Day (Araw ng San Fabian) is a special non-working holiday in the Philippine municipality of San Fabian. It is observed ever year on March 21 to commemorate the town’s founding anniversary.
Calapan City Foundation Day (Araw ng Pagkakatatag ng Syudad ng Calapan) is a special non-working holiday in Calapan, Philippines celebrated annually on March 21. It commemorates the day when Calapan was granted cityhood.
March 21 is National French Bread Day. You can celebrate this day by baking French bread at home.
March 21 is the first day of spring in many countries. Poland has a special celebration for this day, that is called Truant's Day. This unofficial holiday is devoted to all people, who like truancy, i.e. to the students.
March 21 is a great day to have delicious avocado toast for breakfast and grilled salmon for lunch because it is National Healthy Fats Day. This holiday was created to educate people on the different fats in our diet and raise awareness about the importance of the so-called healthy fats.
UNESCO declared World Poetry Day on March 21 in 1999. This holiday was created to promote reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry.
March 21 is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This observance was established by the United Nations General Assembly to call on international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate racial discrimination around the world.
March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day. This observance was started by a medical geneticist, and later became one of the UN international days.
Celebration of Nowruz, Persian New Year, has a very long history. The holiday became so important for humanity, that the UN established International Day of Nowruz.
International Day of Forests is one of the “youngest” UN international days. It was established in 2012. It's annually celebrated on March 21 since 2013.
Other Observances →
Egypt,
Bahrain,
Iraq,
Jordan,
Kuwait,
Libya,
Lebanon,
Oman,
State of Palestine,
Qatar,
Saudi Arabia,
Syria,
Sudan,
UAE,
Yemen
Mother's Day in the Arab World
Mother's Day is annually celebrated around the world in every place. Different countries adopt the most significant date for their nation or religion, that is why this event has so many dates for celebration. Traditionally most countries of the Arab world celebrate Mother's Day on March 21.
Youth Day in Tunisia annually falls on March 21, right after Independence Day. This is a joyful and colorful holiday, that is devoted to those people, who will build and develop future economy of the country.
National Rosie the Riveter Day is a U.S. observance held on March 21. It was created to raise awareness of and celebrate millions of women who filled gaps in the labor force during World War II, working to support the military effort.
National Single Parent Day, also known as Single Parents’ Day, is observed annually on March 21. It was established to highlight the challenges that single mothers and fathers face, as well as to show single parents how much they are valued.
This Day in History
- 2019 A major explosion occurred at a chemical plant in Chenjiagang Chemical Industry Park in China. According to reports, 78 people were killed and 617 injured.
- 2012 Mutinying Malian soldiers attacked several locations in the capital Bamako. They were displeased with the management of the Tuareg rebellion.
- 2008 Died: Denis Cosgrove, prominent cultural geographer. He was born in England, went to school in Oxford and the University of Toronto, and worked at UCLA.
- 2006 The social media website Twitter, renamed X in 2023, was founded. It was created by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams.
- 2005 16-year-old Jeffrey Weise killed his grandfather and his grandfather's girlfriend, and then shot and killed 7 people in Red Lake Senior High School, Minnesota.
- 1998 Died: Galina Ulanova, Russian ballet dancer and ballet coach who is considered to be one of the greatest ballerinas of the 20th century.
- 1991 Died: Leo Fender, American inventor best known for founding Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company. He designed guitars, bass guitars, and amplifiers.
- 1986 Born: Scott Eastwood, American actor, the son of actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood. His film credits include Flags of Our Fathers, Texas Chainsaw, The Longest Ride, Suicide Squad, and more.
- 1985 Born: Sonequa Martin-Green, American actress best known for her role as Michael Burnham. the protagonist in the television series Star Trek: Discovery.
- 1982 Born: Santino Fontana, American actor and singer best known for his Broadway performances, as well as for voicing Hans in Frozen and playing Greg in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
- 1980 The TV series Dallas aired its episode "A House Divided", which spawned the 8-month "Who shot J.R.?" hysteria. The murderer was revealed in "Who Done It?".
- 1980 Born: Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, commonly known as Ronaldinho, Brazilian footballer who won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2004 and 2005.
- 1978 Died: Louis Cottrell, Jr., American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist, bandleader and union leader. He was the leader of the Heritage Hall Jazz Band.
- 1974 Born: Rhys Darby, New Zealand actor and comedian best known for his roles as Murray Hewitt in Flight of the Conchords and Stede Bonnet in Our Flag Means Death.
- 1974 Died: Candy Darling, American actress who starred in two Andy Warhol's films and is known as a Warhol Superstar. She was a trans woman.
- 1965 The third Selma to Montgomery protest march started. There were three marches altogether that led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
- 1965 NASA launched Ranger 9, a lunar probe designed to achieve a lunar impact trajectory and transmit high-resolution photographs of the lunar surface.
- 1963 The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, one of the most famous prisons, closed. Today it is a museum and one of San Francisco's major tourist attractions.
- 1962 Born: Rosie O'Donnell, American comedian, television personality, actress, author, and LGBT rights activist. Her talk show won multiple Emmy Awards.
- 1962 Born: Matthew Broderick, American stage and screen actor. As of 2020, he is the youngest actor to win the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.
- 1960 Born: Ayrton Senna da Silva, Brazilian racing driver who won three Formula One world championships. He was killed in an accident in 1994 during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
- 1958 Born: Gary Oldman, prominent English stage and screen actor, filmmaker and musician who is considered one of the cinema's greatest actors.
- 1946 Born: Timothy Dalton, British actor who gained international prominence as the fourth actor to portray fictional secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series.
- 1940 Born: Solomon Burke, American singer whose career spanned more than 50 years. He made a significant contribution to the development of soul music.
- 1936 Died: Alexander Glazunov, Russian composer, conductor and music teacher. He was director of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory from 1905 to 1930.
- 1915 Died: Frederick Winslow Taylor, American mechanical engineer and one of the first management consultants. He sought to improve industrial efficiency.
- 1871 Welsh journalist and explorer Henly Morton Stanley began his search for missionary and explorer David Livingstone. Stanley found him on November 10, 1871.
- 1844 The Bahá'í calendar began. It is a solar calendar used by Bábism and the Bahá'í Faith. Years in the calendar begin at the vernal equinox.
- 1843 Died: Robert Southey, prominent English poet who belonged to the Lake Group. He was poet laureate for 30 years from 1813 until his death.
- 1839 Born: Modest Mussorgsky, Russian composer of the Romantic period. He belonged to the group known as "The Five" or "The Mighty Handful".
- 1806 Born: Benito Juárez, Mexican lawyer and politician who served as the President of Mexico for five terms. He used liberal measures to modernize the country.
- 1804 The Napoleonic Code (Code Napoléon) was adopted as the French civil code. It was not the first legal code in Europe, but one of the most important ones.
- 1801 Born: Maria Theresa of Austria (born Archduchess of Austria and Princess of Tuscany), the wife of King Charles Albert of Sardinia.
- 1768 Born: Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier, French mathematician and physician who is best known for investigating Fourier series and discovering the greenhouse effect.
- 1729 Died: John Law, Scottish economist who served as Controller General of Finances of France under the Duke of Orleans. In 1716 he established the Banque Générale.
- 1556 Died: Thomas Cranmer, English clergyman, leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury. He was burned as a heretic.
- 630 The Byzantine Emperor Heraclius defeated the Sassanid Emperor Khosrau II and returned the True Cross, one of the holiest Christian relics, to Jerusalem.