By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, July 16 2026 – Somalia on Thursday marked the beginning of the Somali New Year with a ceremony in Mogadishu celebrating the start of year 1117 in the traditional Dabshid calendar.
The event brought together officials from the Somali Academy of Sciences, Arts and Literature, academics, artists and members of the public to commemorate the annual occasion, which organizers said reflects Somalia's long-standing cultural traditions.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ismail Yusuf Osman, chairman of the academy, said the celebration was intended to recognize the country's traditional calendar and promote awareness of its historical significance.
"Every nation has its own calendar, and Somalia also has its own," Osman said.
Each year in the traditional Somali calendar historically takes the name of the day on which it begins. As this year began on a Thursday night, it is known as Sanad Khamiis, or the Year of Thursday. A year beginning on a Saturday night, for example, would be called Sanad Sabti, or the Year of Saturday.
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The traditional Somali calendar has historically been used by farming and pastoral communities to track the seasons, rainfall patterns and agricultural activities. Based on seasonal and astronomical observations, it has long served as a guide for planting, livestock movement and other rural livelihoods.
The Dabshid celebration is traditionally observed in parts of Banadir and communities located between the Juba and Shabelle rivers, where it has long been associated with the arrival of the rainy season and the start of a new agricultural cycle.
Organizers said preserving the traditional calendar forms part of broader efforts to safeguard Somalia's cultural heritage and pass indigenous knowledge to younger generations.
Although Somalia officially uses the Gregorian calendar for government and administrative affairs, the traditional calendar continues to be observed in some communities for cultural and agricultural purposes.