In a statement to the 'Nation Shield', the UAE Armed Forces magazine, on the occasion of the UAE's 50th National Day, Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem added, “In every celebration on this occasion, we remember the founding fathers, who were on full covenant and promise since their agreement in 1971, and led our country with confidence and merit towards the highest levels in terms of standards of modern societies and countries. They trusted the capabilities of their sons and daughters citizens, and their quest to build a developed and an educated society that takes knowledge as a path to progress and authenticity.”