The November 4, 2025 Italy celebrates the National Unity and Armed Forces Day, established to commemorate thearmistice which ended the First World War, signed at Villa Giusti. It is therefore a day of celebration of national unity, because Trento and Trieste returned to Italy, but also of the Armed Forces, because all the soldiers who fell during the fight for the Italian homeland are celebrated.
Since 1922 it was a public holiday in all respects, but it was abolished in 1977 to increase the working days, and therefore economic productivity, in our country: today, in fact, it is a “holiday suppressed“, i.e. a non-holiday day, but which is still paid to workers as “holiday falling on Sunday” according to most National Collective Labor Agreements (CCNL).
The meaning of the National Unity and Armed Forces Day: what happened on November 4th
The November 4, 1918 the armistice was signed at Villa Giusti, in Padua, which put an end to the First World War. Italy, after defeat at Caporetto of 24 October 1917, defeated the Austro-Hungarian army first in the battles of Grappa, at the end of 1917, and then in the final battle of the Piave, in October 1918.
Following the victories, it was announced that “Austria has capitulated” and that “hostilities on land, sea and air on all fronts of Austro-Hungary have been suspended from 3pm today, 4 November”.
This is the famous armistice signed by General Armando Diaz who, at the behest of Vittorio Emanuele III, had taken the place of General Cadorna. The episode according to which many Italian families gave the name “Signed” to their children precisely because at the bottom of the armistice it read “signed, Diaz.”
The establishment of the national holiday and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier
In the first two years following the War, there were no real celebrations on the day the armistice was signed: the November 4, 1921at the behest of the then Minister of War Luigi Gasparottowas buried in Rome, on the Altare della Patria, on Unknown Soldierfallen and never identified soldier, as a symbol of all the Italians who lost their lives during the War.
From the following year, 1922, November 4th became a national holidaywith Royal Decree n. 1354 of 23 October: “November 4, the anniversary of our victory, is declared a national holiday and considered a public holiday for all civil purposes”. With the entry into force of the law, November 4th was officially proclaimed a public holiday.
November 4th today: how is it celebrated and why is it no longer a holiday?
Today is November 4th it is no longer a day of rest and celebration, but it is considered a “civil solemnity”: we go to school and go to work, but it is still officially recognized as National Unity and Armed Forces Day.
In 1977, however, with Law n.54 it was decided to abolish the holiday from the working calendar, with the aim of increasing the working days in our country:
Since 1977, the celebration of the National Republic Day and the National Unity Day have taken place on the first Sunday of June and the first Sunday of November respectively. The days 2 June and 4 November therefore cease to be considered holidays.
Consequently, November 4th is not considered “weekday”, but “holiday cancelled”: in practice, therefore, it is a working day for which workers receive additional compensation, as if they had not enjoyed a holiday because it fell on a day of rest (like Sunday, in fact.)
With law 1 March 2024, n. 27 the value of memory and national identity was reaffirmed, enhancing celebration initiatives, including the famous flight of the Frecce Tricolorithe planes of the aerobatic team of theAir Forceand further activities carried out in private, public and educational contexts.
