On this day every year, nationals and residents on this land celebrate the anniversary of the union and the establishment of the United Arab Emirates to express their love and to take pride in this dear occasion and celebrate this turning point in the history of our country and nation.

Undoubtedly, the second of December 1971 will always remain a dear memory for Emiratis, a day that marks the birth of our blessed nation at the hands of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Our celebration this year is indeed a celebration of achievements and gains, and a journey of giving that spanned around five decades thanks to the seeds of the union that our founding fathers planted so that we could look forward with pride to celebrating the country’s golden jubilee and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the union. 

The achievements made by the country through its experience as a federation and its developmental goals reflect a wise strategy that sought to utilize potential and create a national environment that keeps pace with scientific and technological advancements through the introduction of integrated local and federal policies. The insightful vision of our wise leadership established the legacy of the UAE and formed the solid foundation for taking huge strides forward while holding onto our entrenched values, thus making the UAE rank high on competitiveness indexes and attain a well-deserved status thanks to its advanced economy and ideal use of resources and infrastructure, in addition to the stable economic and social conditions. 

We pray to Allah on this dear occasion to bestow upon our beloved land peace and prosperity and to grant mercy to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and our founding fathers who laid the foundations of this country.