Dubai: People across the UAE are to celebrate UAE Flag Day on Sunday, November 3, where schools, ministries, government bodies and institutions will raise the UAE flag in honour of the day at 11am.
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First marked in 2013 and normally celebrated on November 3, the UAE Flag Day marks the accession of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the office as President of the UAE in 2004. It is a national occasion where people of the UAE remember the efforts of the founders of the country, Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid, and their brothers who sacrificed everything for the sake of their nation.
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Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), stressed that the UAE flag is a symbol of unity, sovereignty and pride, and that it must be raised high.
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She added that the founder of the country, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, taught the country that the flag is a symbol of pride and nothing rises above it, and the wise leadership followed his path and encouraged a love for the country among its citizens.
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She added that Emirati people must protect it because it is part of their history, pride and glory.
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Dr Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), said that the flag day is an occasion where the people of UAE renew their pledge to the UAE’s wise leadership. “On this glorious day, we celebrate values of pride, glory, patriotism. We raise the UAE flag across the country. We raise it high and proud. It is an even more special occasion as it marks the accession of Shaikh Khalifa as President of the UAE.”
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“It is an opportunity to express the values of national cohesion and the interdependence of the UAE society and to highlight the sense of belonging to this country and its wise leadership, which strives to achieve the hopes and aspirations of its people and to ensure their comfort and happiness”, Al Qubaisi added.
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Great achievements
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Meanwhile, Mohamed Bin Ahmad Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, has said that Flag Day is a celebration of the UAE’s great historical achievements and its long journey of generosity.
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“On 3rd November of each year, we celebrate the most important symbol of the union of our country. It embodies the values of loyalty and belonging to our dear nation. On this day, we remember the founding fathers of the Union who came under one banner in single-hearted unity and chose its four expressive colors to be a symbol of our homeland. It is an occasion to recall the importance of this flag and the symbol of national identity we are proud to belong to, Al Bowardi said.
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“Commemorating the Flag Day is a national event for cementing the values of belonging to the nation and paying respect to the national flag; which symbolizes prestige. We pride ourselves on this day, which saw the cohesion of the people and leaders of the UAE to establish a modern state on the pillars of solid unity”, said Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
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“On this day, our sights are set high to the sky where the flag flutters in shining colours depicting the characteristics of an authentic, strong, glorious and coherent nation. It reminisces selfless leadership that cares for the well-being of their peoples driven by limitless ambitions that proved capable of beating the impossible”, Al Tayer added.
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Keeping an old promise
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Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA said: “On this day, all Emiratis gather around the UAE flag that was raised by our Founding Fathers, to reiterate their commitment to the noble values instilled in our hearts by the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. On Flag Day, we renew our pledge to the wise leadership that the UAE flag will remain fluttering high, and a symbol of a country that has become known for peace, tolerance, benevolence, and prosperity. We will continue hard, dedicated, and sincere work to achieve the prosperity of our homeland, and pray to Allah Almighty that prosperity and dignity continue forever for our beloved country,”
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Earlier last week, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has reminded everyone on his Twitter to take part in the special day:
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“On November 3, we will celebrate the UAE’s Flag, which is a symbol of our unity and sovereignty. On this glorious national occasion, all our institutions, ministries, bodies and schools are invited to raise the flag on the UAE Flag Day at 11am. We will raise our flag together in an expression of common destiny and our belonging to the UAE,”Shaikh Mohammad tweeted.
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