The UAE observed Flag Day on Monday with ceremonies held across the nation to honour the country’s unity and national spirit. At 11am, the national flag was raised simultaneously at ministries, government buildings, schools and institutions.
The annual event, introduced in 2013, coincides with the anniversary of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s accession as President in 2004. While not a public holiday, it is widely celebrated by Emiratis and residents who display the flag in workplaces, schools and public areas.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, urged all institutions to raise the flag together in a display of national solidarity. In a message shared on social media, he said the day serves as an opportunity to renew loyalty to the country and express pride in its flag, describing it as “the symbol of our sovereignty and the emblem of our Union”.
Now in its 13th year, UAE Flag Day continues to strengthen the sense of shared identity ahead of the Eid Al Etihad celebrations in December.