The key facts
- UAE President Sheikh Mohamed raised the flag at Qasr Al Hosn alongside 55 representatives of various sectors — one for each year of the union
- UAE President Sheikh Mohamed raised the flag at Qasr Al Hosn together with 55 representatives of various sectors — one for each year of the union
- Messages for the holiday were published by Vice Presidents Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, as well as the Crown Princes of Abu Dhabi and Dubai
- Flag Day addresses were published by Vice Presidents Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, as well as the Crown Princes of Abu Dhabi and Dubai
- Flag-raising ceremonies were held at schools and universities across all seven emirates
The central ceremony in Abu Dhabi
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed led the Flag Day celebrations on Tuesday at Qasr Al Hosn fort in Abu Dhabi. According to his statement published on X, he raised the flag together with 55 'accomplished individuals from various sectors', symbolising 55 years of the union. In his address, he recalled the path begun by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the rulers who founded the union, and expressed confidence in the nation's people. This was reported by The National.
Messages from the country's leadership
Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid wrote that on Flag Day the flag is raised 'with pride in what has been built and achieved' and with the commitment that the flag will remain high and ambitions boundless. Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Court Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed called the flag a symbol of the UAE's strength and sovereignty and wished the country, its leadership and its people continued security and prosperity. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed raised the flag in front of the Zayed Museum, noting that the holiday strengthens Emiratis' sense of belonging and loyalty. Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed called the flag 'a symbol of our pride and unity'.
Celebrations in schools across all seven emirates
In all seven emirates, the flag was raised by government institutions, ministries, schools, universities and residents. For multinational school communities, Flag Day became an opportunity to teach the younger generation about the country's history and the values of national identity. At Dove Green Private School in Dubai, the ceremony began with the flag raising and the national anthem; it was organised by the Arabic and Islamic studies department, and tenth-graders Sarah Dahel and Omar Abu Hejjab delivered a bilingual speech in Arabic and English. At Gems Wellington Dubai Hills, principal Ann Haydon emphasised that many pupils grew up in the UAE even though their families came from other countries, and that the school uses the holiday to explain the history and meaning of the flag. At the American Academy for Girls in Dubai, students signed pledge cards about loyalty and unity; superintendent Lisa Johnson noted that for most Emirati students the holiday is deeply personal, while senior student Hind Mohammad Bin Nasser Almazroui said the flag is, for her, a symbol of identity, values and the country's future.
