Royal, civic and national ceremony
Coronations, courts, parades, oaths and national days.
Royal, civic and national ceremony covers the public rituals of a country: coronations, inaugurations, parades, national days, oaths, flag raisings and the opening of parliament. They give a nation a shared moment and a set of symbols, and many reach back centuries. A coronation in Westminster Abbey, the Changing of the Guard, a Fourth of July parade and the Independence Day march in India each tell a different story of who a people think they are. EveryParampara describes them factually, with the history behind them.
Crowns, thrones and oaths
Ceremonies of rule use regalia, oaths, anointing, processions and acclamation to show authority conferred. They may be kept by an ancient monarchy, a traditional chief or a modern republic with its own rites of inauguration. The words and objects are often very old, and the ceremony stays much the same from reign to reign. Together they set out a link between rulers and the people they serve.
National days and parades
National days commemorate independence, revolution or the founding of a state, usually with parades, speeches, flags, fireworks and public meals. Many also include remembrance of those who died in war, with minutes of silence, poppies or wreaths. These days draw citizens together, though they can also be contested. EveryParampara lists them on the calendar and explains the customs that go with them.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Royal, civic and national ceremony (kind of tradition). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇮🇶 IraqMudhifالمضيف
A traditional reed guest house kept by the Ahwari people of southern Iraq for ceremonies and hospitality.Home
🇸🇦 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and 4 moreMajlis
A traditional sitting room and community assembly for hospitality and civic counselEtiquette
🇮🇷 Isfahan, Iran and 3 morePersian gardenباغ ایرانی
An ancient tradition of creating walled, geometric sanctuaries of shade and flowing waterCraft
🇰🇼 KuwaitDewaniya
An evening gathering and reception central to Kuwaiti social, business, and civic lifeEtiquette · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaArdahالعرضة
A traditional Arabian group dance of facing lines, drums, poetry, and swordsPerformance
🇸🇦 Mecca, Saudi Arabia and 2 moreBay'ahبَيْعَة
An Islamic oath of allegiance pledged to a ruler or spiritual guideCeremony
🇮🇱 IsraelYom HaZikaronיוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן
Israel's national day of mourning for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism.Ceremony
🇶🇦 Doha, QatarQatar National Dayاليوم الوطني القطري (Al-Yawm al-Waṭani al-Qatari)
A national holiday in Qatar marking the unification of the peninsula under Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani.Ceremony
🇸🇦 Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaSaudi National Dayاليوم الوطني السعودي
An annual public holiday in Saudi Arabia marking the 1932 unification of the kingdom.Ceremony
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreNewrozنەورۆز
A Kurdish spring festival and new year celebration marked by bonfires, dance, and the lighting of fires.Festival
🇹🇷 Edirne, TurkeyKırkpınar
A three-day Turkish oil wrestling contest near Edirne, held each June since 1360Game
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 1 moreLand Dayيَوْم اَلْأَرْض (Yawm al-Ard)
A yearly day of remembrance for Palestinians marking the 1976 protests against land seizures.Ceremony
🇹🇷 Van, Turkey and 5 moreChildren's Day
An international observance supporting youth welfare, education and children's rightsCeremony
🇱🇧 Beirut, LebanonLebanese Independence Dayعيد الاستقلال اللبناني
Lebanon's national day, marking the end of French mandate rule in 1943Ceremony
🇮🇱 Tel Aviv, Israel and 5 moreTel Aviv International Student Film Festival
A week-long gathering in June where student filmmakers from around the world screen their work, attend workshops, and mePerformance
🇦🇪 Sharjah, United Arab EmiratesSir Bu Nair Festival
An annual maritime gathering celebrating seafaring and island conservation in SharjahFestival
🇶🇦 Doha, QatarDoha Cultural Festival
An annual sixteen-day arts and heritage festival held in Qatar's capitalFestival
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesSheikh Zayed Festivalمهرجان الشيخ زايد
An annual cultural and heritage festival held in Al Wathba, Abu DhabiFestival
🇱🇧 Beirut, LebanonBeirut Prideفخر بيروت
An annual LGBTQIA+ march and festival in Lebanon advocating for decriminalization and visibility.Festival
🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesAbu Dhabi Science Festival
An annual science festival in the United Arab Emirates with hands-on workshops and showsFestival
🇨🇾 Limassol, CyprusWine Festival of CyprusΓιορτή του Κρασιού
An annual autumn celebration of winemaking, folklore and food in Limassol, CyprusFestival · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies
🇮🇷 Susa, IranSusa weddings
A mass royal wedding held in 324 BCE to unite Macedonian and Persian nobilityCeremony
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Yom HaZikaron: אבישי טייכר, CC BY 2.5, source
- Qatar National Day: Mohamod Fasil, CC BY 2.0, source
- Saudi National Day: Faisal Arif, CC BY 4.0, source
- Ardah: Abodi009, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Majlis: Abū Zayd ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Zayd, CC0, source
- Persian garden: dynamosquito, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Mudhif: Hassan Janali, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain, source
- Kırkpınar: anonymous Greek artist, ca. 1809, Public domain, source
- Newroz: Salar Arkan - سالار ارکان, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Land Day: Lata66, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lebanese Independence Day: Adib Ibrahim, Public domain, source
- Beirut Pride: Beirut Pride, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Wine Festival of Cyprus: George M. Groutas, CC BY 2.0, source
- Children's Day: Schekinov Alexey Victorovich, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Susa weddings: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival: Adam4896, CC BY-SA 4.0, source