Know the vision behind UAE heroes’ memorial
abu dhabi — Wahat Al Karama means ‘the oasis of dignity’ — a fitting title for the site chosen to immortalise the names of the men who gave their lives for the UAE under the directives of the President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Spanning an area of 46,000 square metres opposite to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Wahat Al Karama is a cultural landmark built to commemorate the UAE’s heroes. It reflects the UAE’s pride and gratitude towards all those who have given their lives to uphold the country’s sovereignty, dignity, and values.
The centre piece of Wahat Al Karama is a 90-metre long monument comprising 31 tablets which symbolise the support between the
1,200 People can be accommodated at the Memorial Plaza
UAE’s military, the families of its servicemen and women and the country’s citizens in the face of adversity.
Each tablet is leaning on the other, symbolising the unity, solidarity and mutual support. The tablets, which are formed from over 1,000 cast aluminium panels, are inscribed with a series of poems and quotations from the UAE leaders.
Inspired by the traditional Falaj irrigation system, a channel of water runs under the panels and leads to the pool of infinity. The pool of infinity symbolises that life goes on and that the memory of the heroes is infinite.
Pavilion of Honour
Located at the end of the visitor’s journey and reached on a downward journey from the memorial, the Pavilion of Honour appears from the outside as a solid, polygon structure embedded in the earth. The pavilion’s circular internal wall is clad with over 2,800 aluminium plates, among which are inscribed the names of the UAE’s heroes. Each of the illuminated plates are engraved with the hero’s name, rank, service branch, location, and date of death. They are made from aluminium reclaimed from armoured vehicles used in service with the UAE Armed Forces.
The roof is constructed from eight slabs — seven symbolise the emirates of the UAE, while the eighth represents the UAE’s heroes. At the centre of the pavilion is a composition of seven large, transparent glass panels representing the seven emirates, surrounded by a pool of slowly-moving water. On the front and back of each panel is the Pledge of Allegiance of the UAE Armed Forces, legible from whichever side the visitor reads it. Two passages from the Holy Quran are also inscribed in the Pavilion of Honour.
Memorial Plaza
At more than 4,000sqm, the Memorial Plaza is a wide, circular space offering clear views of the Memorial and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It is clad with stone sfrom Turkey and surrounded by a terraced amphitheatre that accommodates 1,200 people.