February 23· State day
Defender of the Fatherland Day
An official holiday in Kyrgyzstan honouring the servicemen and veterans who defend the homeland.
23 February is officially marked in Kyrgyzstan as Defender of the Fatherland Day, honouring the servicemen, border guards and veterans who protect the homeland.
Kyrgyzstan's Armed Forces were founded on 29 May, which is celebrated separately; 23 February is the broader holiday of all defenders of the homeland, soldiers and officers of every generation.
How it is marked
Military units hold ceremonies, flowers are laid at the eternal flame on Victory Square in Bishkek and schools hold patriotic lessons; men and boys are congratulated.
Video
Photos
Changing of the guard on Ala-Too Square, Bishkek · Petar Milošević / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 
Victory Square in Bishkek · Davide Mauro / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 
Eternal flame on Victory Square in Bishkek · A.Savin / Wikimedia Commons · FAL 
Kyrgyz servicemen in training · Senior Airman Brett Clashman / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain 
The flag of Kyrgyzstan · Kalpak Travel / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 
Manas monument in Bishkek · Ninara from Helsinki, Finland / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Kyrgyzstan: other days
- January 1New Year's Day
- January 7Orthodox Christmas
- March 5Ak-kalpak Day
- March 8International Women's Day
- March 21Nooruz
- April 7Day of the People's April Revolution
- May 1Labour Day
- May 5Constitution Day
- May 9Victory Day
- May 29Armed Forces Day
- August 31Independence Day
- September 23State Language Day
- October 3Founding of the Organization of Turkic States
- November 7Days of History and Commemoration of Ancestors
- 10 Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar — the feast of the Hajj pilgrimage; moves about 11 days earlier each yearEid al-Adha
- 1 Shawwal in the Islamic calendar — the end of the Ramadan fast; moves about 11 days earlier each yearEid al-Fitr