When is National Heroes Day in Cayman Islands?
National Heroes Day is a public holiday celebrated in the Cayman Islands on the fourth Monday in January.
About National Heroes Day in Cayman Islands
Unlike other National Heroes Days in the Caribbean, the same people aren't celebrated on this day each year.
Instead, a committee comprised of public and private sector representatives meets to chose the theme for the following year's holiday.
Different award categories are then established with the public able to nominate suitable individuals. The National Heroes Day committee then decide on who are deserving recipients of the awards.
National Heroes Day 2020 will honour pioneers who contributed to the first written Constitution of the Cayman Islands and the first women who stood for election.
In 2019, it was the pioneers who contributed to the creation of the Cayman Islands’ Coat of Arms who were honoured.
The celebrations will also recognise contributions of Cayman’s nine national heroes: James Manoah Bodden, Sybil Ione McLaughlin, Thomas William Farrington, Sybil Joyce Hylton, Ormond L. Panton, Desmond V. Watler, Mary Evelyn Wood, William Warren Conolly and Roy Edison McTaggart.
National Heroes Day has been a public holiday in the Cayman Islands since 2003 as part of Cayman Islands' year-long quincentennial celebrations.
It was intended to be the islands’ largest national celebration. However, the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, thwarted subsequent plans to observe National Heroes Day in the proper manner until 2007.
