Start of Eid Al Fitr holiday announced for UAE public sector

Workers will enjoy a long weekend to mark the festival

Ramadan decorations in Dubai on April 5. AFP

The Eid Al Fitr holiday will begin on Thursday, April 20 for workers in the public sector, authorities have announced.

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources said the break would run from Ramadan 29 - which is marked on Thursday, April 20 - until Shawwal 3.

Shawwal 3 will fall on Sunday, April 23 if Ramadan lasts for 29 days and on Monday, April 24 if the holy month lasts for 30 days.

Shawwal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.

The exact start date of Eid will be decided by the UAE's Moon-sighting committee.

It will mean a long weekend for government employees across the Emirates.

Employees will enjoy a five-day break if the duration of Ramadan is 30 days and return to work on Tuesday, April 25.

If Ramadan is 29 days, the Eid holiday will last four days.

Shawwal 3 is expected to fall on Sunday April 23, the International Astronomical Centre said.

What is Eid Al Fitr?

At the end of Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr is the holiday that marks the completion of the month-long fasting period.

Practices vary around the world, but commonly they include morning prayers, public holidays, visiting family and friends, giving gifts and charity donations.

When is Eid Al Fitr and how is the start determined?

The end of the holy month will be confirmed in the same way as the beginning, by a Moon-sighting committee that is responsible for spotting the new crescent moon.

The duration of the holy month is decided by the Islamic calendar, which consists of 12 lunar months totalling either 354 or 355 days. That means each month can last either 29 or 30 days.

This year, in the UAE, Ramadan is expected to last 29 days, the Emirates Astronomical Society has said.

“Most likely, Ramadan this year will be for 29 days. Eid Al Fitr and the first of Shawwal will be on Friday, April 21,” Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the society's board of directors, told The National.