February 17 Revolution anniversary2026 · Date · History · Messages
Libyan government sources identify February 17 as the anniversary of the February 17 Revolution and list it as an official holiday/commemoration.
About February 17 Revolution anniversary
Libyan Law No. 5 of 2012 on official holidays includes 17 February as the anniversary of the 2011 Libyan Revolution.
In 2026, the Government of National Unity issued Decision No. 55 granting a February 17 holiday to public institutions and facilities covered by its decision, with exceptions for essential services.
Why February 17 Revolution anniversary matters
The date refers to the 17 February 2011 uprising/revolution and is treated in the 2012 official-holidays law as a national occasion.
Because Libya has divided institutions and administrations, current administrative decisions should be attributed to the issuing authority rather than presented as evidence that one administration exclusively governs all holiday implementation nationwide.
History of February 17 Revolution anniversary
The political uprising commonly identified with 17 February began in 2011.
The National Transitional Council issued Law No. 5 of 2012 on official holidays on 8 January 2012; the attached schedule includes the 17 February 2011 revolution anniversary.
On 16 February 2026, the Libyan News Agency reported that the Government of National Unity issued Prime Minister Decision No. 55 of 2026 granting Tuesday, 17 February a holiday for public institutions and facilities covered by the decision, subject to essential-service exceptions.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
National Transitional Council of Libya
Law No. 5 of 2012 on official holidays
Granted Tuesday, 17 February 2026 as an official holiday for the public institutions and facilities covered by the decision, with essential-service exceptions.
Government of National Unity · Prime Minister Decision No. 55 of 2026
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
Libyan Revolution Day
How to Observe February 17 Revolution anniversary
Use the 2012 law for the statutory holiday framework.
Attribute year-specific administrative decisions to the authority that issued them.
Keep the 2011 political history factual and avoid claims about motives, legitimacy or present political support that are not needed to explain the observance.
Do not describe one current administration as the exclusive nationwide facilitator unless a source establishes that scope.
February 17 Revolution anniversary Facts
17 February appears in Libya’s 2012 official-holidays law as the anniversary of the 2011 revolution.
Law No. 5 of 2012 was issued by the National Transitional Council on 8 January 2012.
The reviewed sources do not establish the first recurring observance after the law.
A 2026 Government of National Unity decision granted a holiday for institutions and facilities covered by that administration’s decision.
Current implementation should be described with explicit institutional attribution.
February 17 Revolution anniversary Messages
May public information about February 17 remain factual, source-attributed and clear about which institution issued each current decision.
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.
DCAF Legal Database — Libya Law No. 5 of 2012 on official holidays (opens in a new tab)
Libyan News Agency — February 17 anniversary 2026 (opens in a new tab)
National Government
Libyan Civil Aviation Authority — AIP public holidays (opens in a new tab)
National Government
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 February 17 Revolution anniversary?
17 February The documented recurrence rule is: 17 February.
Does February 17 Revolution anniversary fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is February 17 Revolution anniversary an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Libya / official national commemoration. 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 February 17 Revolution anniversary?
The reviewed sources identify National Transitional Council of Libya as the proclaiming or establishing body.
Is February 17 Revolution anniversary international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to Libya. Its fuller verified scope is: Libya / official national commemoration.
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 2026-09-09.
When is the February 17 Revolution anniversary in Libya?
The statutory date is 17 February.
What legal source lists the date as an official holiday?
Law No. 5 of 2012 on official holidays includes the 17 February 2011 revolution anniversary in its attached schedule.
How should current holiday decisions be described?
Attribute them to the issuing Libyan authority. For example, the 2026 holiday notice reported by LANA was a Government of National Unity decision applying to the institutions and facilities covered by it.
Other observances on February 17
These observances are also listed on February 17, 2027.
17 February Revolution anniversary
Libyan News Agency reporting of Government of National Unity 2026 official commemoration programme
Global Tourism Resilience Day
A/RES/77/269
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National Public Science Day
A 2000 NCAR/UCAR release says National Public Science Day was sponsored by AAAS and celebrated on February 17; current observance references continue to use February 17 annually.
National Tennis Pro Day
National Day Archives gives February 17 and identifies Maria Oddy as the creator in 2020, with the inaugural observance described for 2021.
Random Acts of Kindness Day®
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation identifies Random Acts of Kindness Day® as 17 February and describes it as an internationally observed campaign.