Maurits Berger on Ruetir about national holidays
Why are the majority of our national holidays based around Christian festivities? Arabist Maurits Berger talks about this in an article on Ruetir.
The article discusses the protests against recent plans by the government of Denmark to abolish the Great Day of Prayer as a national holiday as a measure to increase economic productivity. Most national holidays in European countries - like the Great Day of Prayer, are Christian in nature. Berger explains that because other religions are less engrained in European identity, there isn't a strong call for e.g. fixed Islamic holidays. However, this might also be more due to practical objections: Islam follows a lunar calendar, making the holidays shift every year.
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The full article with Maurits Berger can be found on the website of Ruetir.