On Tuesday 8 September 2026, Nepal stopped to remember. Exactly one year after young protesters were shot dead outside parliament in Kathmandu, the country observed its first Gen Z Martyrs' Day, a new national public holiday.
In short: 8 September (Bhadra 23 in the Nepali calendar) is now a public holiday, Gen Z Martyrs' Day. Ministers, lawmakers, families and citizens gathered at the old Parliament building in Kathmandu to honour those killed in the protests of September 2025. The interim government had declared 45 people martyrs: 42 as Gen Z Governance Warriors and three police officers.
A day of remembrance
Families of those killed organised a formal memorial at the former Parliament building in New Baneshwor, the scene of the shootings on 8 September 2025, under tight security. Ministers and lawmakers laid flowers, and young people who had taken part in the protests gathered across the city. Offices and schools were closed for the holiday.
The holiday was created by the interim government led by Sushila Karki, which declared 45 of those who died as martyrs and decided that Bhadra 23 would be observed every year. Around 76 people died in total during the protests. Read our timeline of the September 2025 protests.
What has changed in a year?
A lot, and not enough, depending on whom you ask.
- A new government: elections in March 2026 brought a landslide for the Rastriya Swatantra Party, which won more than two-thirds of the directly elected seats. Balendra Shah, the former mayor of Kathmandu, became prime minister, the youngest in Nepal's history.
- Accountability: former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested in March 2026 over the crackdown, then released in April pending investigation. Families are still waiting for justice.
- Corruption and jobs: many young people say the deeper issues that drove the protests, corruption, unemployment and the steady emigration of young Nepalis, have yet to be tackled.
- Detentions: rights groups say a large number of people arrested after the unrest remain in custody.
What it means for visitors
For travellers, the anniversary passed peacefully. Treks and tours ran as normal, though government offices, banks and some shops in Kathmandu were closed for the holiday. If your travel dates include 8 September in future years, expect a public holiday with memorial events in Kathmandu. It is a day to be respectful, not a day of disruption.
Nepal has many public holidays and festivals, and it is worth knowing about them when you plan. See our festivals guide, or ask us about your dates.