Patriots' Victory Day in Ethiopia is celebrated annually on May 5th. In the Ethiopian calendar, this date corresponds to Miazia 27. The national holiday commemorates the end of the five-year Italian occupation and the triumphant return of Emperor Haile Selassie to Addis Ababa in 1941.
The event, known in Amharic as Arbegnoch Qen, specifically honors the Ethiopian patriot fighters (Arbegnoch) who led a sustained resistance against the fascist Italian forces from 1936 to 1941. The occupation began after the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, and the efforts of these patriots were instrumental in the eventual liberation of the nation. This day is distinct from Yekatit 12 (February 19), which is a day of mourning for the martyrs massacred by the Italian fascist regime in Addis Ababa in 1937.
Observances of the holiday are centered in the capital, particularly at the Meyazia 27 Square (Arat Kilo). Official ceremonies include wreath-laying at the victory monument by government officials, military leaders, and veterans of the resistance. The day serves as a profound expression of national pride, sovereignty, and remembrance of the successful struggle against foreign occupation.
