New York public schools will add two Muslim holidays to their vacation calendars , Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday , a promise he made during his election campaign . The policy change was hailed by Islamic leaders in New York City . Under the new policy , the city 's 1.1 million-pupil public school system will close on Sept. 24 for Eid al-Adha , which is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice . The holiday of Eid al-Fitr , marking the end of Ramadan , will be observed during summer school in 2016 . Scroll down for video . NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio ( pictured today promised in his election campaign that New York public schools would add the Muslim holidays to their vacation calendars . Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today that NYC will become largest school district in the nation to recognize Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha . Ramadan is based on the Islamic lunar calendar and moves each year . 'Hundreds of thousands of Muslim families will no longer have to choose between honoring the most sacred days on their calendar or attending school , ' Mayor Bill de Blasio said in his announcement . Muslim leaders welcomed the announcement . 'After years of advocating by New York City 's Muslim community , Muslim public school students will finally and thankfully no longer be penalized for observing their religious holidays , ' said Zead Ramadan , a board member of the Council on American-Islamic Relations . Linda Sarsour , a Muslim community advocate and public school parent who joined de Blasio for the announcement at a school in Brooklyn , said , 'This is what New York City is all about — recognition , inclusion and respect . ' Estimates of the number of Muslims living in New York City vary from 600,000 to 1 million . Community leaders have long urged adding the two Muslim holidays to the school calendar , and the City Council passed a resolution supporting the change in 2009 . Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg opposed making the change but de Blasio and the other major candidates who campaigned to succeed Bloomberg in 2013 all said they would implement it . The new calendar will keep the total number of school days unchanged at 182 : the state-mandated 180 plus two more in case there are snow days . New York City public schools have long closed for major Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur as well as the Christian holidays of Christmas and Good Friday . Other public school systems that have moved recently to observe Muslim holidays include those in Waterbury , Connecticut and Frederick County , Maryland . Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announce the news .
NYC Mayor de Blasio has promised the holidays during his election campaign . The policy change was hailed by Islamic leaders in Eid al-Adha . Schools will close on Sept. 24 for Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr will be off , marking the end of Ramadan .