Celebrations focus on ‘Legacy of Ancestors’
UAE National Day is also a time to envision new chapters for the story of the UAE’S progress, characterised by innovative strategies and a forward-facing outlook
The official celebrations of the 48th National Day began with the national anthem of the UAE in the presence of thousands of residents in Abu Dhabi on Monday evening at the at Zayed Sports City Stadium.
The event, under the patronage of the President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Their Highness Members of the Federal Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates, Crown Princes and Deputy Rulers, and dignitaries. The royals witnessed the celebration themed ‘Legacy of our Ancestors’ at the stadium.
Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed said, “I have witnessed the celebration of the 48th National Day under the slogan ‘Legacy of our Ancestors.’ We are all overwhelmed by our pride in our values and our inherited heritage, happiness and pride in our country’s achievements and national achievements.
The show took the audience on a vivid journey of the UAE’S heritage through a series of stories highlighting values of courage, determination, generosity, and tolerance, which have been long embedded in the UAE’S national and social fabric and have been passed down through generations.
The epic scale of this production has been brought to life by the efforts of many dedicated individuals coming from diverse backgrounds and cultures, a true reflection of co-existence and tolerance which are key components of the UAE’S social inclusion, with more than 200 nationalities living in harmony.
Showing the generous and welcoming Emirati identity, this year’s celebration will welcome 20,000 attendees, both citizens and residents, who will together express their love and pride for the UAE. Dr Ahmed El Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar, has congratulated the United Arab Emirates’ leadership, government and people on the UAE’S 48th National Day.
In a statement, Al Azhar Al Sharif and the Grand Imam congratulate President Sheikh Khalifa, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed, Their Highnesses Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates, and the Emirati people on the occasion, wishing more progress, growth and welfare for the country.
The Grand Imam expressed his appreciation for the UAE’S development model and the role of its leaders in promoting the values of peace, coexistence and openness to the cultures and civilisations of the world. He also commended the UAE’S stance in supporting the Arab and humanitarian issues, tolerance efforts, and spreading the principles of human fraternity.
On the other hand, from the Middle Eastern oud to the beats of the Djembe drum, the universal language of music provides a stirring soundtrack to Expo 2020 Dubai’s globetrotting celebration for the 48th UAE National Day in a new short film.
Stars from across the planet are captured performing the UAE National anthem, Ishy Balady, in their home countries. The two-minute video begins with the subtle strains of oud music in the UAE before criss-crossing the globe to bring together a diverse array of musicians including Chinese pianist and producer CORSAK, Indian slide guitarist Niki Mukhi, British trumpeter Paul Spong and Saudi musician multi-instrumentalist Hatoon Idrees, alongside individual artists from the Norwegian State Orchestra, Russia’s Minski Theatre and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. A choir of school children from Raffles World Academy provide the vocal accompaniment to the track.
Locations featured in the video include the Dubai desert, the Taj Mahal in India, the fjords of Norway, Rizal Park in Manila, as well as major world metropolises such as London and Shanghai.
Led by Oscar-shortlisted Emirati director Nahla Al Fahad, the compilation reflects the UAE’S collaborative spirit and inclusive, forward-thinking core values, while bringing to life Expo 2020’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and how the The World’s Greatest Show - the first World Expo in the region - will bring together 192 nations when it opens on 20 October 2020.
The video builds on the success of last year’s ‘Orchestra of the World’ video, Expo 2020’s celebration of the 47th UAE National Day, which connected musicians from 190 countries for a moving desert performance of the National anthem.
‘I have witnessed the celebration of the 48th National Day under the slogan Legacy of our Ancestors. We are all overwhelmed by our pride in our values, our heritage... and achievements,’ said Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed.
UAE celebrated its 48th National Day with great fervour and gaiety all across the seven emirates. The UAE also set a new world record with the largest flag ever flown in a free fall in Dubai.
“UAE National Day is a time to reflect on the glorious moment that marked a milestone in the history of our country 48 years ago, and has since, transformed the lives of the Emirati people. The unity, strength and determination envisioned by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan laid a solid foundation of ambitious growth and progressive development that has today established the nation as a modern, prosperous society,” said Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq).
“The occasion is also a time to envision new chapters for the story of the UAE’S progress, characterised by innovative strategies and a forward-facing outlook, which have equipped the nation to meet both current and future challenges. The UAE is today at the forefront of several international economic and social indices, ranking high in economic competitiveness, human development, innovation, efficiency of services, amongst others,” he said.
“The UAE also became a key regional and global destination for businesses and investments, thanks to its dynamic economic diversification policies, innovation in business models and increasing productivity. The legacy of our founding fathers continues to influence decision-making processes in the UAE even today, as we move ahead to achieve the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071, preparing the nation for future generations,” he said.
“At Shurooq, we believe that our mission goes beyond development projects; we are committed to building our emirate and nation in a way that positively impacts people’s overall quality of life and fulfills future aspirations of both citizens and residents,” he said.
“UAE National Day is a cherished occasion for both citizens and residents of the nation. On this glorious day, we celebrate the forward-looking vision of our wise leadership that is today paying rich dividends across all sectors of the economy. Bold decisions and an ambitious economic vision have boosted the competitiveness landscape of the nation, transforming the UAE into a key global investment destination. Buoyed by the strength of its robust economic growth, the UAE is today considered to be a safe haven for investors and entrepreneurs and is seen as the strategic gateway to expand in the region and beyond to the emerging markets of Asia and Africa,” said Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, CEO of Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah).
“Over the past 48 years, the UAE’S progressive policy of economic diversification has established the fundamentals of a business-friendly environment for global economic partnerships to guarantee long-term prosperity for its citizens. The state-of-the-art infrastructure, strong financial reserves, promising investor initiatives and increased foreign direct investment have contributed to the development of a sustainable economy and entrenched the UAE’S leading position on the global economic map,” he said.
Eng. Khalid Al Ali, Secretary General, Sharjah Urban Planning Council, said: “The UAE National Day is a time to reflect on the enormous progress our nation has achieved over the past 48 years, which has catapulted in to the forefront, globally, in cultural, scientific and economic domains. This has all been made possible due to the unstinting efforts of our people and the long-term vision of our wise leadership.”
He added: “Sharjah Urban Planning Council prides itself as a key contributor to the UAE’S development journey. It seeks to advance Sharjah’s infrastructure to optimally meet the fast-changing needs of the emirate’s residents and citizens by offering them the facilities and services they need to lead high quality lives. Through our efforts, we also seek to achieve Sharjah and the UAE’S vision of turning the nation into a key destination for youth from around the region and the world, who will see it as a haven for their professional pursuits as well as the perfect destination to enjoy a modern and socially conscious lifestyles.”