What is International Day of Democracy? Are students in Vietnam entitled to a day off on International Day of Democracy in 2024?

What is International Day of Democracy? Are students in Vietnam entitled to a day off on International Day of Democracy in 2024?

International Democracy Day is a holiday established by the United Nations on September 15 annually.

The purposes of this day are to:

Promote and uphold democratic principles: Celebrate the core values of democracy such as freedom, equality, justice, and human rights.

Raise awareness about the importance of democracy: Help people understand the significance of democracy and its role in building a better society.

Encourage nations and international organizations to strive together for a democratic world: Create a forum where countries can share experiences, learn from each other, and collectively build a more democratic future.

Origin:

The idea of organizing International Democracy Day was initiated by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution officially designating September 15 every year as International Democracy Day.

International Democracy Day holds the following significance:

Honor the achievements of democracy: Look back at the progress made in building democratic societies around the world.

Evaluate the challenges that democracy faces: Identify existing issues and seek solutions to overcome them.

Promote international dialogue and cooperation: Enhance understanding and cooperation among nations in building and protecting democracy.

June 15, 2024, falls on a Sunday.

Note: The above information is for reference only.

What is International Day of Democracy? Are students in Vietnam entitled to a day off on International Day of Democracy in 2024? (Image from the Internet)

Are students in Vietnam entitled to a day off on International Day of Democracy in 2024?

Currently, there are no specific regulations regarding students getting a day off on International Democracy Day. However, students usually get days off according to their teachers’ schedules.

Based on Article 112 of the Labor Code 2019:

Holidays and Tet

1. Employees are entitled to fully paid days off on the following holidays:

a) New Year's Day: 01 day (on January 1 of the Gregorian calendar);

b) Lunar New Year: 05 days;

c) Victory Day: 01 day (on April 30 of the Gregorian calendar);

d) International Labor Day: 01 day (on May 1 of the Gregorian calendar);

dd) National Day: 02 days (on September 2 of the Gregorian calendar and 01 adjacent day);

e) Hung Kings' Commemoration Day: 01 day (on March 10 of the Lunar calendar).

2. Foreign employees working in Vietnam, in addition to the holidays prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article, are entitled to 01 traditional national holiday and 01 National Day of their country.

3. Annually, based on actual conditions, the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam decides specific days off as prescribed in Points b and dd, Clause 1 of this Article.

Teachers are entitled to fully-paid days off on the following holidays:

- New Year's Day: 01 day (on January 1 of the Gregorian calendar);

- Lunar New Year: 05 days;

- Victory Day: 01 day (on April 30 of the Gregorian calendar);

- International Labor Day: 01 day (on May 1 of the Gregorian calendar);

- National Day: 02 days (on September 2 of the Gregorian calendar and 01 adjacent day);

- Hung Kings' Commemoration Day: 01 day (on March 10 of the Lunar calendar).

Therefore, it can be seen that International Democracy Day is not among the holidays for which teachers are given days off.

However, June 15, 2024, falls on a Sunday. If the students’ schedules and the teaching schedules of the teachers do not include activities on Sunday, then both students and teachers will have a weekend break on September 15, 2024.

How many weeks does the 2024–2025 school year in Vietnam last?

According to Article 2 of Decision 2045/QD-BGDDT 2024:

Principles for structuring the academic year schedule for localities

1. The academic year schedule for localities must ensure 35 weeks of actual study (the first semester has 18 weeks, the second semester has 17 weeks).

2. The academic year schedule must be appropriate to the characteristics and practical conditions of the locality.

3. Holidays and Tet breaks are implemented according to the regulations of the Labor Code and annual guiding documents.

4. Annual leave for teachers is taken during the summer break or can be arranged at other times during the year, to suit specific characteristics and the academic year schedule of the locality.

5. The academic year schedule needs to ensure synchronization for all educational levels in a specific area, especially in institutions with multiple educational levels.

The 2024–2025 school year lasts for 35 weeks including 18 weeks of the first semester and 17 weeks of the second semester.