Both public and private sector workers will get one day off…

It’s official: The first public holiday in the UAE of 2020 will be on New Year’s Day.

According to Gulf News, both public and private sector workers will be given Wednesday January 1 off, with work resuming on Thursday January 2 as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

The mid-week break will be the first public holiday of the year, with the next one falling in May – so we’ll have a little while to wait for our next long weekend.

The news follows the announcement that 2020 will be the ‘year of preparation’ which is officially branded“2020: Towards the next 50″.

Dubai Media Office stated that this year will “involve all segments of the UAE society in shaping life in the UAE for the next 50 years and preparing for the country’s Golden Jubilee celebrations of 2021”

The news was officially declared by H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, alongside H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

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Here is the full list of UAE public holidays for 2020

Sheikh Mohammed also spoke of how the past has shaped the future of Dubai, saying that “50 years ago, the founding fathers shaped our life today, and next year, we will shape the coming five decades for the future generations.”

Enjoy your extra day off, folks…