Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day)2026 · Date · History · Messages
Taiwan legal sources designate February 28 as Peace Memorial Day. The February 28 Incident Act was promulgated in 1995 and amended in February 1997 to designate the day as a national memorial day/day-off; the current Enforcement Act for Memorial Days and Festivals continues February 28 as a memorial day and one-day holiday.
About Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day)
Peace Memorial Day, commonly associated with the 228 remembrance, is observed in Taiwan on February 28. Current law lists February 28 as Peace Memorial Day and provides a one-day holiday.
The legal memorial framework developed in the 1990s and is tied to remembrance, historical education and the February 28 Incident.
Why Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day) matters
The day is a memorial observance connected with the February 28 Incident and its victims, families and wider historical consequences.
Discussion should be trauma-aware and politically neutral, especially when addressing responsibility, identity or cross-strait questions that extend beyond the bounded legal history of the observance.
History of Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day)
On February 28, 1995, Taiwan’s president attended the inauguration of the 228 Memorial Monument and apologized on behalf of the government to victims’ families.
On April 7, 1995, the February 28 Incident Disposition and Compensation Act was promulgated.
On February 25, 1997, the Act was amended; the legal text designates February 28 as Peace Memorial Day, a national memorial day and a day-off.
In the current memorial-days framework, the Enforcement Act for Memorial Days and Festivals continues to list February 28 as Peace Memorial Day and as a one-day holiday.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Legislative Yuan / Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan)
February 28 Incident Disposition and Compensation Act, as amended in 1997
Became the current general memorial-day framework while continuing February 28 as Peace Memorial Day and a one-day holiday.
Government of Taiwan · Enforcement Act for Memorial Days and Festivals
Government of Taiwan and Memorial Foundation of 228
The Act assigns memorial activities to the Memorial Foundation, while the current Enforcement Act governs the memorial-day/holiday framework.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Also known as
228 Memorial Day
How to Observe Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day)
Use museums, archives and official educational resources to learn about the February 28 Incident and its historical context.
Attend memorial or educational events where participation is welcome and appropriate.
Protect victim and family privacy; do not publish personal records, images or testimony without authorization or consent.
Avoid graphic descriptions unless necessary for serious educational context, and give readers appropriate warning when discussing traumatic material.
Keep current political and cross-strait commentary separate from sourced facts about the memorial day and its legal status.
Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day) Facts
Peace Memorial Day is observed on February 28 in Taiwan.
The February 28 Incident Disposition and Compensation Act was promulgated in 1995 and amended in 1997.
The legal text designates February 28 as a national memorial day and day-off.
The current Enforcement Act for Memorial Days and Festivals lists Peace Memorial Day on February 28 and includes it among one-day holidays.
The reviewed sources do not establish a single first official observance date, so that lifecycle field remains unresolved.
Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day) Messages
Remembering Peace Memorial Day with care for victims, families and the dignity of personal histories.
May February 28 be approached with thoughtful learning, remembrance and respect for privacy.
Honouring the work of historical remembrance with careful, trauma-aware language on Peace Memorial Day.
May Peace Memorial Day support reflection that respects both historical record and personal dignity.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Office of the President ROC (Taiwan) — Lee Teng-hui chronology (opens in a new tab)
National Government History
Taiwan DGPA — 2027 Work Calendar / Enforcement Act for Memorial Days and Festivals (opens in a new tab)
National Government Current Law
Taiwan Ministry of Justice — February 28 Incident Disposition and Compensation Act (opens in a new tab)
National Law
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day)?
28 February The documented recurrence rule is: 28 February.
Does Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day) fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Taiwan / Republic of China memorial-day framework. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day)?
The reviewed sources identify Legislative Yuan / Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Government of Taiwan and Memorial Foundation of 228.
Is Peace Memorial Day (228 Peace Memorial Day) international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to Taiwan. Its fuller verified scope is: Taiwan / Republic of China memorial-day framework.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-24.
When is Peace Memorial Day in Taiwan?
It is observed on February 28.
What does the day commemorate?
It is a memorial day connected with the February 28 Incident, its victims and the historical work of remembrance and education.
When was February 28 legally designated as Peace Memorial Day?
The relevant Act dates to 1995 and was amended in February 1997; the Office of the President chronology records the legislature’s 1997 designation of February 28 as Peace Memorial Day and a national holiday.
Is February 28 a day off under current Taiwan law?
The current Enforcement Act for Memorial Days and Festivals lists Peace Memorial Day among the memorial days observed as one-day holidays.
When was the first official Peace Memorial Day observance?
That exact lifecycle point was not established in the reviewed primary sources and remains unresolved.
Other observances on February 28
These observances are also listed on February 28, 2027.
Día de Andalucía
Junta de Andalucía; permanent regional holiday designation
Floral Design Day
Smithsonian Libraries documents Floral Design Day on February 28, created around floral educator Carl Rittner’s birthday and enacted by a 1995 Massachusetts gubernatorial proclamation.
Global Scouse Day
Global Scouse Day organizers; supported by Liverpool institutions and venues
National Chocolate Souffle Day
Two ANFP Wyoming chapter calendars list National Chocolate Souffle Day on February 28.
National Science Day (India)
India’s Department of Science and Technology states that National Science Day is celebrated every year on February 28 to commemorate the Raman Effect; Government of India 2026 material conf…
National Vegan Lipstick Day
National Day Archives records February 28 as National Vegan Lipstick Day and identifies CakeLipps as the 2020 founder; the date commemorates the founders’ grandmother’s birthday.