Since 2003, Defender of the Fatherland Day (Mekendi Korgoochunun Belgilenchu kunu) in Kyrgyzstan, celebrated on February 23, is a — public holiday declared an official day off.
The holiday was established by a decree of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic dated January 20, 2003 for the purpose of military-patriotic education of the younger generation, creating conditions for the provision of honor and worthy respect to war veterans and the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The history of this holiday is rooted in the revolutionary past of Russia. It was generally accepted that on February 23, 1918, Red Guard detachments won their first victories near Pskov and Narva over the regular troops of Kaiser's Germany. These first victories became the «day of birth of the Red Army».
Since 1922, in the Soviet state, honoring the Red Army and Navy has acquired the character of a large national holiday. Since then, February 23 has been celebrated annually in the USSR as «Red Army Day», and then it became known as «Soviet Army and Navy Day».
After the collapse of the USSR, this holiday was preserved in a number of CIS countries, including Kyrgyzstan. Since 2003, the holiday in the Republic has been called Defender of the Fatherland Day and is a day off in the country.
This is the day when women give their husbands, fathers, sons special attention and gifts. And many memorable and festive events take place throughout the country. For example, in Bishkek on this day, traditionally, a ceremonial formation of personnel of the Bishkek garrison takes place on the square in front of the city hall, after which military personnel parade to the sounds of an orchestra to the main square of the capital «Ala-Too».
Although in recent years there has been more and more talk in the government of the country about canceling the holiday date of February 23, the issue is still under consideration by the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan.