Abolition of Slavery2026 · Date · History · Messages
Mauritius’s current Public Holidays Act lists the Day of commemoration of Abolition of Slavery on 1 February; government history and current commemorations connect the date with abolition in 1835.
About Abolition of Slavery
In Mauritius, 1 February is the statutory Day of commemoration of Abolition of Slavery and a public holiday.
The observance commemorates the abolition of slavery in Mauritius in 1835 and is marked nationally through remembrance, education and official ceremonies.
Why Abolition of Slavery matters
The day centers the history, suffering, resistance and freedom of enslaved people and the continuing importance of that history in Mauritian society.
It should be covered as a Mauritius-specific commemoration rather than collapsed into other abolition or emancipation observances with different dates and legal histories.
History of Abolition of Slavery
Slavery was abolished in Mauritius in 1835 under British rule.
Mauritius’s Public Holidays Act lists the Day of commemoration of Abolition of Slavery on 1 February.
The 2015 Public Holidays amendment placed the 1 February commemoration in the schedule of public holidays observed every year from 2016.
Government cultural institutions continue to hold official national commemorations, including the 191st anniversary in 2026.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Mauritius National Assembly / Government of Mauritius
Public Holidays (Amendment) Act 2015 (Act 28 of 2015)
Placed the 1 February Abolition of Slavery commemoration in the schedule of annual public holidays, effective in the annual schedule from 2016.
Mauritius National Assembly / Government of Mauritius · Public Holidays (Amendment) Act 2015 (Act 28 of 2015)
Government of Mauritius / Ministry of Arts and Culture and heritage institutions
Government cultural institutions continue to organize official national commemorations.
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.
5 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
Abolition Day
How to Observe Abolition of Slavery
Learn about slavery, resistance and emancipation in Mauritius from national heritage, museum and government resources.
Attend or follow an official remembrance, museum program or educational event if appropriate.
Use respectful language that recognizes enslaved people as people with agency, families and histories rather than reducing them to anonymous statistics.
Keep Mauritius’s 1 February commemoration distinct from UN, French overseas and other national abolition observances that occur on different dates.
Abolition of Slavery Facts
Mauritius observes the Day of commemoration of Abolition of Slavery on 1 February.
It is listed in the current Public Holidays Act.
The commemoration relates to the abolition of slavery in Mauritius in 1835.
It is distinct from the United Nations International Day for the Abolition of Slavery on 2 December.
Abolition of Slavery Messages
Remembering the abolition of slavery in Mauritius and the generations whose histories continue to shape the nation.
On the Day of commemoration of Abolition of Slavery, honoring memory while continuing to learn from Mauritius’s history.
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.
Mauritius Laws — Public Holidays Act (opens in a new tab)
National Statute
Mauritius National Assembly — Public Holidays (Amendment) Act 2015 (opens in a new tab)
National Statute
Ministry of Arts and Culture — 191st anniversary commemoration (opens in a new tab)
National Government Commemoration
Republic of Mauritius — history / abolition in 1835 (opens in a new tab)
National Government History
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 Abolition of Slavery?
1 February The documented recurrence rule is: 1 February.
Does Abolition of Slavery fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Abolition of Slavery an official public holiday?
Within the reviewed scope, it is identified as Mauritius / statutory public holiday. That status is not automatically extended to other countries or jurisdictions.
Who established or recognizes Abolition of Slavery?
The reviewed sources identify Mauritius National Assembly / Government of Mauritius as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Government of Mauritius / Ministry of Arts and Culture and heritage institutions.
Is Abolition of Slavery international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to Mauritius. Its fuller verified scope is: Mauritius / statutory public holiday.
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 2026-09-21.
When is the Abolition of Slavery public holiday in Mauritius?
It is observed on 1 February.
What does the day commemorate?
It commemorates the abolition of slavery in Mauritius in 1835 and remembers the history, resistance and freedom of enslaved people.
Is 1 February a public holiday in Mauritius?
Yes. The current Public Holidays Act lists the Day of commemoration of Abolition of Slavery on 1 February.
Is this the same as the UN International Day for the Abolition of Slavery?
No. The UN observance is on 2 December; Mauritius’s statutory public holiday is a separate national commemoration on 1 February.
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