Chile sets January 7 as Chilean-Palestinian Friendship Day

The Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile published this Thursday, October 22, 2026, Law No. 21,843, which declares January 7 of each year as the Chilean-Palestinian Friendship and Solidarity Day. The regulation, emanating from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was contained in Section I of issue No. 44,580, dedicated to laws, regulations, decrees, and resolutions of general order, under the official reference CVE 2888990. Consequently, the date is incorporated into the country’s commemorative calendar and enables the holding of official events.

What the regulation establishes

The legal text consists of two articles. The first expressly declares January 7 of each year as the Chilean-Palestinian Friendship and Solidarity Day. The second provides that, by virtue of that declaration, commemorative activities intended to celebrate the friendship and solidarity between Chile and Palestine may be carried out on that day.

The law also links the commemoration to a foreign policy commitment: it states that the activities reiterate the country’s commitment to the United Nations Universal System for the Protection of Human Rights and, therefore, to the human rights of the Palestinian people. In this way, the date is not presented merely as an anniversary, but as an explicit endorsement of that international framework.

Parliamentary origin and authors of the motion

The initiative originated from a parliamentary motion, as stated in the published text. Its authors were:

Former deputy Cosme Mellado Pino.
Deputies Carolina Tello Rojas, Francisca Bello Campos, and Natalia Romero Talguia.
Deputy Marcos Ilabaca Cerda.
Former deputies Sofía Cid Versalovic and Viviana Delgado Riquelme.

The H. National Congress approved the project, which was referred to the Executive for its sanction and promulgation, in accordance with the constitutional procedure for the formation of law.

Promulgation and Executive seal

The promulgation decree is dated October 15, 2026, in Santiago and is signed by the President of the Republic, José Antonio Kast Rist, and by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francisco Pérez Mackenna. The official transcription for the knowledge of the authorities was signed by the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Patricio Torres Espinosa.

The document was electronically signed in accordance with Law No. 19,799 and includes a time stamp and advanced electronic signature, as recorded in the issue. The publication occurred one week after the promulgation, meaning the law is now in effect and its first commemoration corresponds to January 7, 2027.

Impact of the measure

The entry into force of Law No. 21,843 provides a legal framework for the activities that social organizations, municipalities, and public entities carry out every January 7th regarding the Chilean-Palestinian relationship. For readers, the practical point is that the date now has legal recognition and a verifiable official reference in the Official Gazette, which allows for the demand or scheduling of commemorative acts without depending on annual administrative decisions.

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,580, Thursday, October 22, 2026, Section I, p. 1 (official reference: CVE 2888990).