Celebrations announced that will keep people safe

The artistic director of ceremonies for the London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics will create a digital extravaganza to mark the UAE’s 49th National Day.

While tens of thousands of people typically visit Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi to celebrate the nation’s formation, this year’s festivities will be held without a public audience.

But it will be anything but a muted affair – instead, a visually stunning spectacle will be beamed to homes in the seven emirates and beyond.

The show, Seeds of the Union, was designed by Emiratis with the direction of Es Devlin, the acclaimed British stage designer behind ceremonies for the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Khalfan Al Mazrouei, who is on the organising committee for the event on December 2, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic required us to approach the official 49th UAE National Day celebration in a new and ambitious way – one that uses digital visual technology to inspire an audience watching from home.

“The overarching theme of the live show is one of hope and optimism. Embracing the country’s rich legacy and traditions, it looks ahead to a vivid future in which we remain true to our values.”