Sharjah 24 – WAM: 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, the Supreme Council Members, Their Highnesses Rulers of the Emirates, Crown Princes, Deputy Rulers and Sheikhs, attended the celebration on the UAE's 50th National Day and Golden Jubilee.
The event, held under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was organised in Hatta.
Among those who attended the official ceremony were His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah; His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, and His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah; Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah; Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Qaiwain, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah, were also present.
In attendance also were Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region; Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC); Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region; Sheikh Suroor bin Mohammed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Sheikh Issa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation; Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Sheikh Omar bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation; Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination (ZHO); Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President; Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office; Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence; a number of Sheikhs; ministers; FNC members; members of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and several senior officials in the federal and local governments.
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); Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, the wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; Sheikha Hana bint Juma Al Majid, the wife of Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah; Sheikha Sumaya bint Saqr Al Qasimi, wife of Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, and a number Sheikhas, attended the ceremony.
Staged in Hatta Dam and surrounded by the Hajar Mountains, the live show saw the attendance of residents from across the UAE, and was live streamed by all official television channels and the 'Official 50th UAE National Day' website.
The show's centerpiece was a huge sculpture, supported by modern technology and set on a floating stage on the Hatta Dam, to highlight the close relationship between humans and nature and UAE's history since the 19th century.
The show comprised nine chapters chronicling highlights from the UAE's 50-year development journey and projections of the UAE's future in the next 50 years.
The first chapter of the show included a drum performance, featuring traditional Emirati rhythms which resonated around the mountains, while the second part showcased the earliest form of the Emirati compass, known as Deira, after which 200 drones lit up the sky as the sculpture began projecting Deirat Al Duroor, the ancient astronomical system used by the UAE people in old times.
The third chapter narrated the stories of the UAE’s first female pioneers, including Sheikha Maitha bint Salmeen Al Mansoori, wife of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa, the grandfather of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan; Sheikha Hessa bint Al Murr Al Falasi, the grandmother of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; Sheikha Shamsa bint Sultan Al Marar, who was an exceptional pearl diver and fisherwoman; and Sheikha Hamama bint Obaid Al Teneji, who was a famous healer and botanist.
It concluded with a homage to the achievements of the 'Mother of the Nation', H.H. 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).
As for the fourth chapter, it told the story of the agreement that led to the UAE's Union, where a picture of the UAE's late Founding Father appeared on the giant sculpture, while the fifth part of the show shed light on the UAE's transformation from a desert to a luxuriant green land.
The sixth part featured the UAE's national anthem, and was followed by a chapter on key moments in the UAE's history leading to the hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai, to the sounds of traditional music.
Titled 'Letters to the Future', the final part of the show featured three girls writing letters to their future selves, epitomising the UAE's ambitious vision and aspirations for the future.
The celebration concluded with a dazzling firework spectacle, launched by drones, to mark the end of the first 50 years of the UAE's journey and the beginning of its march towards the future.
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