Argentina reinstates ‘Día de la Raza’ name for October 12 holiday

The Argentine government has officially reinstated the name ‘Día de la Raza’ (Day of the Race) for the national holiday on October 12. This designation replaces ‘Día del Respeto a la Diversidad Cultural’ (Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity), a name that was adopted in 2010 under the presidency of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to emphasize ethnic diversity and indigenous rights.

The change, reflected in the official 2026 national holiday calendar, does not alter the holiday's status as a transferable national day off. The October 12 date commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus's expedition in the Americas in 1492.

For the upcoming long weekend, the holiday will span from Saturday, October 10, through Monday, October 12. Under Argentine labor law, employees required to work on this national holiday are entitled to double pay.