What is Freedom Day?
Freedom Day is a name used for two different national holidays among the countries on this site. In Portugal, Dia da Liberdade on 25 April commemorates the Carnation Revolution of 1974, when a military coup by the Armed Forces Movement overthrew the Estado Novo regime of Marcelo Caetano, with almost no shots fired. It opened the way to democracy, to the first free elections in 1975 and to the end of the colonial wars; Portugal's African colonies became independent in 1974 and 1975. Both holidays celebrate the end of an era in national history, in different ways.
In Malta, Freedom Day on 31 March marks the date in 1979 when the last British forces and the Royal Navy left the island. For the first time in a thousand years Malta was no longer a military base of a foreign power. In Portugal red carnations are worn, and the song Grândola, Vila Morena, broadcast on Rádio Renascença at 00:20 on 25 April, was the second signal for the revolt. In Malta, the main events are held at the Freedom Day Monument in Birgu and the War Memorial in Floriana, followed by a regatta in the Grand Harbour.
Why it is observed
The Carnation Revolution began on the night of 24 April 1974, when a radio announcement and a song served as signals to the officers, and it was largely bloodless. Civilians gave carnations to soldiers, which became the symbol of the revolution. In Malta, a new agreement signed under the Labour government elected in 1971 extended the British lease to the end of March 1979, at a much higher rent, and its end on 31 March 1979 is the origin of the holiday. Malta had become independent from Britain in 1964, but British forces remained on the island until 1979.
How the date is set
The date depends on the country. In Portugal, Freedom Day is 25 April. In Malta it is 31 March. Both are fixed calendar dates.
How it is observed
Freedom Day is a public holiday in both countries on its own date. In Portugal, banks, offices and schools are closed, and parades and street celebrations take place in Lisbon, particularly along the Avenida da Liberdade. In Malta, offices and schools are closed and official ceremonies are held in Birgu and Floriana. Because they are fixed dates, they can fall on weekends. Pay and time off depend on national law and the contract.
Sources
Malta
Portugal