UAE Flag Day 2023: 5 Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know
Bringing together people from all walks of life to honour and show their pride for the UAE, Bazaar Arabia shares a few little known facts about this special day
Flag Day in the UAE is an important national celebration, observed in November every year, and it holds immense significance for the country and its citizens. This day stands as a testament to the unity, pride, and patriotism shared by Emiratis and UAE residents alike.
The streets will be adorned with the national colors, and various events and activities are planned to mark this special occasion, fostering a strong sense of unity and national identity among its citizens and residents alike.
What is Flag Day in the UAE?
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, took to social media to inform all ministries and institutions in the country to to raise the Emirati flag on Friday, November 3 at 10:00am GST to stand in solidarity with the Founding Fathers of the Nation.
الإخوة والأخوات .. كما تعودنا في كل عام .. نحتفي بيوم العلم في الثالث من نوفمبر .. نحتفي براية الوطن .. راية فخرنا وعزنا واتحادنا المجيد .
ندعو كافة الوزارات والمؤسسات في الدولة لرفع العلم الإماراتي في الثالث من نوفمبر الساعة العاشرة صباحاً في وقت واحد .. وبمشاعر متحدة ..… pic.twitter.com/8eF8TsNnA8
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) October 26, 2023
In honor of National Flag Day 2023, Bazaar Arabia shares five facts about the UAE flag that you probably did not know.
UAE Flag Day 2023: 5 Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know
1. Why Do We Celebrate UAE Flag Day? The Story Behind The Day…
UAE Flag Day commemorates the anniversary of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan becoming president in 2004.
On November 3, 2004 His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan succeeded his father, the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was the Founding Father of the Nation and served as the UAE President from 1971 to 2004.
In 2013, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched a National campaign for the celebration of UAE Flag Day to honour the country’s past and its remarkable journey to become a leading nation in the Middle East.
2. The UAE Flag was selected through a newspaper competition
In 1971, Al Ittihad newspaper published an advertisement calling all artists to submit a draft of their vision for the UAE flag. According to The National, there were over 1000 entries and a young teenager named Abdullah Mohammad Al Maainah was selected. Abdullah Mohammad Al Maainah discovered that his flag was chosen when he saw the flag hoisted above Mushrif Palace in Abu Dhabi on December 2, 1971, the day the seven Emirates were officially unified.
Today, Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah is the State Minister to the UAE Foreign Ministry.
3. Each colour in the UAE flag has a special significance
According to an interview with The National, Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah said that he was intentional in choosing the colours of the UAE flag, taking inspiration from Islam and other Middle Eastern countries.
The UAE flag consists of 4 colours: black, green, red and white.
Black represents the strength, resilience and courage embodied by the Umayyad Caliphate in Damascus and the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad.
Green represents the Fatimid Caliphate, which ruled over Egypt from 909 AD to 1171 AD.Red was the colour of the Ottoman flag, symbolising blood and sacrifice. White was the colour of the flag Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) raised after his victory in the Battle of Badr.
4. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan held up the UAE flag from top of Burj Khalifa
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai was seen waving the UAE flag on top of the tallest building in the world Burj Khalifa in November 2017 to celebrate Dubai’s win in hosting Expo 2020.
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan hoists the UAE flag on top of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. pic.twitter.com/EVdBqsIOeD
— Gulf Today (@gulftoday) November 2, 2017
5. There is an island in Sharjah dedicated to the UAE Flag
Opened on December 2, 2012, the Flag Island in Sharjah is home to the 7th tallest flag pole in the world which hails 123 m in height. Today, the Flag Island is a destination where design, fitness and leisure intersect to offer an unparalleled experience for the public in Sharjah and the U.A.E.
Is UAE Flag Day a Public Holiday?
While many families, companies and schools celebrate the UAE’s Flag Day with displays of patriotic pride, the day is not a public or private holiday meaning workers are expected to attend work.