UAE and Gulf awareness days and key dates

Monday 3 November 2025

• International Stress Awareness Week

  Awareness3 to 7 November 2025

  A week in early November that raises awareness of stress and wellbeing, especially at work. The 2026 week runs 2 to 6 November.

• UAE Flag Day

  Religious and cultural

  UAE Flag Day on 3 November marks the anniversary of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed becoming President, with the national flag raised across the country at 11am.

Saturday 8 November 2025

• Gulf Diabetes Week

  Awareness8 to 14 November 2025

  A week of diabetes awareness from 8 to 14 November, run across the Gulf states by the Gulf Health Council and ending on World Diabetes Day.

Tuesday 11 November 2025

• Singles' Day (11.11)

  Commercial and retail

  Singles' Day on 11 November is a major online shopping event, led by Alibaba's 11.11 festival in China.

Wednesday 12 November 2025

• World Pneumonia Day

  Awareness

  Held on 12 November, World Pneumonia Day raises awareness of pneumonia, a leading infectious cause of death, and calls for better prevention and treatment.

Friday 14 November 2025

• World Diabetes Day

  Awareness

  World Diabetes Day on 14 November is the world's largest diabetes awareness campaign, led by the International Diabetes Federation and recognised by the United Nations.

Saturday 15 November 2025

• World Prematurity Day

  Awareness

  A global day on 15 November that raises awareness of preterm birth and the needs of babies born too early and their families.

Sunday 16 November 2025

• International Day for Tolerance

  Awareness

  The International Day for Tolerance on 16 November promotes respect for the world's diverse cultures and action against intolerance.

Tuesday 18 November 2025

• World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week

  Awareness18 to 24 November 2025

  World AMR Awareness Week, 18 to 24 November, raises awareness of drug-resistant infections and encourages careful use of antibiotics and other medicines.

Thursday 20 November 2025

• Oman National Day

  Public holidays

  Oman's National Day is on 20 November, the date set by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in 2025, and is marked with a public holiday.

• World Children's Day

  Awareness

  World Children's Day on 20 November is UNICEF's day of action for children's rights, marking the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Friday 28 November 2025

• Black Friday

  Commercial and retail

  The big retail sales day, held the day after US Thanksgiving and now widely marked by UK shops too.

Sunday 30 November 2025

• Commemoration Day (UAE)

  Religious and cultural

  Commemoration Day, held on 30 November each year, honours Emiratis who gave their lives in military, civil and humanitarian service to the UAE.