If you’ve embellished your car with sparkles, bought the biggest UAE flag you can find and slapped on red, green, black and white face paint, then you’re ready to go nuts celebrating National Day on 2nd December – the day the United Arab Emirates turns 43. But first, find out what it’s all about.
When HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan founded the UAE in 1971, silly string and sparkly car stickers probably weren’t in his decree.
But they’ve since come to symbolise National Day celebrations, along with fireworks, a parade and car horn madness – just some of the ways to celebrate come 2nd December.
Before you get carried away though, first you need to know exactly what the nation is commemorating.
Back in the day, the islands and dunes that make up what we now know as the UAE came under the rule of the traders – the Portuguese set up forts here, then the Ottoman empire spread over the gulf, and eventually the area was colonised by the British in 1820 when the British Navy arrived to safeguard trade links with India.
The region became known as the Trucial States, because of the Truces signed between a collection of sheikhdoms stretching across 83,000sq km from the south coast of the Arabian Gulf to the north west coast of the Gulf of Oman.
When Britain announced its intention to leave the Gulf in the middle of the last century, the original plan was to create a single nation made up of the Trucial States with Bahrain and Qatar. But negotiations were unsuccessful; so when the Brits left in 1971, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, became the first president of the United Arab Emirates – the UAE – comprising six states; Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Ajman and Fujairah. Ras Al Khaimah joined the following year, Bahrain and Qatar decided on independence for themselves.
Since then, 2nd December has been marked as National Day, and each year the celebrations just get bigger. This year, the UAE will be turning 43.
To celebrate, public sector workers will be granted three days holiday from 2nd December to 4th December – effectively giving them five days off work.
Private sector workers meanwhile, will be granted 2nd December off. No one will miss out, as that’s the day the capital will be hosting one big birthday party that everyone’s invited to. Read on to find out how you can celebrate.
Get ready for National Day!
No National Day would be complete without silly string. Buy a can for AED 5 and stock up on flags on sticks for AED 3-10 from Posters – there are various branches including in Al Wahda Mall.
For more information call: 02 443 7089.
The DIY, homeware and gardening centre, Ace, has stocked up on everything you might need to get into the party spirit. Buy a mask for AED 8, flag bunting for AED 10, a scarf, a crown or wristband for AED 15 each, cap or feather boa for AED 20 in the national colours. Got kids? Then dress them in national costumes from AED 79 for girls and AED 49 for boys. You can also decorate your villa with a 2x4m flag for AED 299. Find Ace opposite Ikea on Yas Island or on Mina Road.
For more information call: Yas Island 02 565 1945, Mina Road 02 673 1665.
Want to bling up your car with stickers? Sun Shine Car Care on 15th Street in Mussafah sells them from AED 50; to cover both sides of your car costs AED 450 and takes 2.5 hours.
For more information contact: 02 555 6789.
The Father Of The Nation
It’s hard to imagine what life in the UAE would be like without the vision of its founding father and first president, HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. But how much do you know about him?
Sheikh Zayed was the youngest of the four sons of Sheikha Salma bint Butti and Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who ruled Abu Dhabi from 1922 to 1926.
Born and raised in Al Ain, Zayed received a basic education in Islam from a local preacher, which included memorising the Quran. During his childhood he became interested in the history of the Arabian Peninsula and Arabic poetry.
Zayed’s older brother, Sheikh Shakhbut, became the ruler of Abu Dhabi in early 1926
and in the 1930s gave Zayed the task of leading parties of geologists through the Liwa desert in search of oil.
In 1946 Zayed became the ruler’s representative in the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi, effectively the governor of Al Ain. At the time, the area was poor and water was scarce. During his tenure Zayed revised local water ownership rights to ensure water was distributed equally; this led directly to agricultural development, and the oasis in the centre of the town became a market centre.
Determined to develop the town further, Zayed personally funded Al Nahyan School in 1959. This was the first modern school in the emirate. He also constructed its first hospital and established Al Ain’s first network of paved roads.
As well as being patient and optimistic, Zayed was known for his insightfulness and wisdom. Recognising that conflicts between tribes over a lack of resources in the desert would hold Al Ain back from developing, Zayed worked diligently to settle tribal disputes.
He was also instrumental in settling disputes over Al Buraimi, the area now just over the UAE/Oman border near Al Ain. In 1952 Saudi Arabia attempted to claim sovereignty over the area as it hoped to explore for oil; Zayed led negotiations and the Saudis backed off.
In 1966 Sheikh Shakhbut left his post and on 6th August 1966 and Zayed became the ruler of Abu Dhabi. When Britain announced it would leave the region in 1968, he joined the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, in calling for a federation of emirates. The UAE was born in 1971, and Sheikh Zayed was the natural choice as the new nation’s leader.
Forward thinking and liberal compared to his peers in the Gulf, Zayed believed women were vital to the development of the nation. He allowed freedom of worship and worked hard to create international ties. A regional grouping was also important; in May 1981 Zayed persuaded five Arab Gulf kingdoms – Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait – to unite to form an economic community that became known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
After oil was discovered in 1958, Abu Dhabi was recognised as the site of a tenth of the world’s proven oil reserves; it also has a major proportion – four per cent – of the world’s natural gas. Exports started in 1962, and during his time as president, Zayed invested oil revenues into projects to improve the harsh desert environment.
Zayed is widely credited for turning the desert green; he supervised the planting of 150 million trees and was the brains behind the three million planted on Sir Bani Yas Island. He also proved his commitment to the environment and wildlife for instance by bringing the oryx back from extinction in the UAE.
A noted philanthropist, Zayed believed oil wealth was a gift from God that should be shared with countries and people in need. This led him to establish the Abu Dhabi Fund for Arab Economic Development in 1971 to fund charitable projects around the world, a tradition that continues today.
Zayed married six times and had at least 12 children. Despite his undoubted wealth, he lived modestly and stayed true to his Bedouin origins, enjoying falconry, horse riding and poetry.
Sheikh Zayed was reappointed as president four times and ruled the UAE for a total of 33 years. He passed away aged 85 on 2nd November 2004; he is now buried in a mausoleum on the north side of the courtyard of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Zayed National Museum, which will open on Saadiyat Island in 2016, is also a memorial to Sheikh Zayed. Until it opens, you can find out more about the Sheikh Zayed and the UAE at www.zayednationalmuseum.ae
What’s On, Where And When
Fireworks:
Watch the sky light up with fireworks from 1st to 3nd December at 9pm at Khor al Maqta or along the Corniche. Al Ain will go off with a bang in Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium at 9pm on 2nd and 3rd December. Residents of Al Gharbia can watch them at 9pm on all three nights from Madinat Zayed Park, Delma Island, and Al Sila’a.
Heritage:
When it comes to the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival, the numbers speak for themselves: there were 5,000 performers at the opening ceremony. Divided into desert, oasis, sea and mountain areas, the festival is designed to give visitors a glimpse of the UAE’s past. Highlights include folk art, an exhibition on traditional medicine and the chance to pet saluki dogs. The festival is running now to 12th December at a site off the E30 in Al Wathba, between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. For more details visit: www.zayedfestival.com
Yas:
Head to Yas Marina on Yas Island on 2nd December from 3pm to 6pm for a host of free activities. Ride a camel, watch a falcon display, see sand art or get your face painted. Little ones can also play on the marina’s new bouncy pirate ship, in the playground or musical water fountain. For more information call: 02 406 2000.
Emirates Palace:
On 2nd December a laser show from sunset to 2am will guide you towards Emirates Palace, which will be lit up in the colours of the UAE flag. On arrival, you’ll be given free National Day stickers to decorate your car, and you can sample up to 43 varieties of dates – just choose wisely if you want to avoid a sugar coma!
A 43-piece cake with visual designs of the seven rulers of the UAE will be displayed in the middle of the hotel’s dome – but hands off, as you can’t eat it. Also in the dome will be 61 members of staff, each representing a different nationality, greeting visitors by video. A documentary from the National Centre for Documentation & Research featuring the history of the UAE in English and Arabic will be shown on a big screen, too.
While you’re there, bag a free ticket for the National Day lottery and you could win up to 43 prizes – the top four are a night in Khaleej suite, Diamond room and Coral room and dinner for five at Mezlai. All of the hotel’s 14 restaurants, cafés and lounges will display desserts in the UAE national colours. For more information call: 02 690 9000.
Galleria:
The Galleria on Al Maryah Island is rising to the challenge again with a host of activities. The mall will showcase two inspirational art exhibitions. One will be a UAE-centric photo and video exhibition by National Geographic Abu Dhabi, which will highlight historical ties between the emirates; it’s on Level 2 from 1st to 7th December.
The other is by graphic designer Fahad Jaber Abdulla, a winner of the 2008 Abu Dhabi Awards, which recognises individuals who’ve made a valuable contribution to the emirate. Fahad designed visual hand signals for text messages to help the deaf and hearing-impaired. Look out for his work on Level 1 from 1st to 7th December. For more information visit: www.thegalleria.ae
Hiltonia:
After the success of last year’s celebrations, Hilton Abu Dhabi’s beach club will be hosting another National Day party at Hiltonia – only this year it will be held 6.30pm to 11.30pm on 1st and 2nd December. Following a barbecue brunch featuring shish tawouk (chicken) and beef kebabs, you can grab front row seats for the fireworks along the Corniche while listening to a DJ. Kids will be entertained by face painters, a clown and craft workshops. Entry AED 58, brunch AED 185. For more information call: 02 681 1900.
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers:
On 2 December Lobby Lounge in Jumeirah at Etihad Towers will pay tribute to the UAE’s traditions and heritage by hosting a display of dates which you can sample while learning about their properties, history and benefits. There will also be chocolate fountains. For more information call: 02 811 5555.
Between Two Bridges:
The Shangri-La restaurants Sofra bld, Shang Palace and Hoi An will be hosting a brunch on 2nd December 12.30pm to 4pm where you can sample traditional Emirati dishes such as khanfaroosh, a cardamom dessert, sago, a starchy pudding and the semolina pudding khabeesa. AED 260 with soft drinks, AED 295 with grape and hops, AED 450 with bubbly. For more information call: 02 509 8555.
You can also take advantage of a National Day package from AED 4,343 on 2nd December at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, which includes a night in a one-bedroom villa, dinner in the hotel’s Arabic restaurant Mijana or Asian restaurant Li Jiang, a 60-minute massage and buffet breakfast for two. You have kids? Then book the family villa package, which starts at AED 1,500 for a two-bedroom villa, buffet breakfast and an Italian dinner for two adults and two kids in Giornotte.
During your stay, keep an eye out for a celebrations cake in Dolce café, which is made with hazelnut meringue, dark chocolate cream and date sponge in the colours of the UAE flag. Alba Lobby Lounge meanwhile will be serving afternoon tea 2pm to 5pm on 2nd December only which will feature date truffle cake, pistachio mahalabiya – milk pudding – and UAE flag macaroons in red (cherry), black (liquorice), green (pistachio) and white (vanilla), AED 143 for two. For more information: call 02 818 8181.
Al Ain:
Head to Ain Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club 28th November to 5th December 2pm-10pm for a shooting competition. Shoot 9mm pistols, rifles and shotguns to win prizes. On National Day itself, the club will be hosting a special golf tournament also with prizes for amateur players from 8am. AED 350 for spectators, AED 100-300 for participants. For more information visit: www.aesgc.ae
Kool Kidz:
Children wearing national dress might win a prize at Kool Kidz on the lower ground floor of World Trade Center Mall on Hamdan Street. The indoor play centre is hosting a National Day party with traditional dances, a parade and balloon drop 6pm-9pm. As well as balloon making, kids can make a UAE flag and National Day-themed cookies. AED 75 an hour. For more information call: 02 677 0954.
Discounts:
From 27th November to 6th December, you can stay in a classic studio in Al Maha Arjaan by Rotana for AED 443 per person (usually AED 690) which includes breakfast, lunch and a check out at 6pm. Stay on 1st or 2nd December and you can also try the themed National Day brunch for AED 130 noon to 4pm at City Cafe on Hamdan Street, at which you can try lamb rack, harees and beef salona, or stew. Desserts will be decorated with edible flags. For more information call: 02 610 6666.
Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi on Hamdan Street has an offer from 27th November to 8th December; all Emiratis get 43 per cent off the best available rate. For more information call: 02 616 6166.
Tuck into treats from the Japanese biscuit company Yoku Moku, which are stamped with the UAE flag and key figures. They cost AED 5. There are various branches, including the ground floor of Dalma Mall in Mussafah. For more information call: 02 550 4227.
On 2nd December, Choices, the all day dining restaurant in Yas Island Rotana, is offering UAE nationals a 43 per cent discount on lunch or dinner. Its buffet will feature Emirati dishes such as the rice dish majboos, harees, thareed, or bread soaked in broth, and an Arabic mixed grill and include unlimited soft drinks AED 160. For more information call: 02 656 4000.
Limited editions:
Danish jewellery brand Louise Kragh has created a limited-edition 24-carat gold collection to celebrate National Day. The rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets feature red, green, white and black. Prices from AED 183 to AED 731. For more information contact: thj@ocbjewellery.com.
Pure Gold Jewellers has launched a commemorative pendant and bracelet by the Arab designer Kholoud inspired by the UAE national anthem Ishy Biladi (which means ‘long live my nation’). The jewellery features the anthem’s first two words in Arabic, which are set with diamonds and stones in the hues of the UAE flag. The pendant is AED 3,499, the bracelet AED 2,999. There are various branches including in Marina Mall on the Breakwater. For more information visit: www.pugold.com
Eat Emirati
What better way to honour National Day than by trying some national dishes?
Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe
Named after the kerosene lamps that used to light Emirati homes, this restaurant in the Venetian Village in the grounds of The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi helps you imagine what life in the UAE used to be like. Outside is decorated with a dhow boat, Land Rover and models of camels and burkha-clad women, while inside feels like a traditional courtyard with old bicycles and sacks of rice. It serves kebabs, grilled fish and biryani. For more information contact: 02 448 1144.
Al Salalah
The restaurant in the Heritage Village on the breakwater has been serving a traditional buffet with a market-style fish display since 1982. Look out for kebabs, hamam (pigeon) and ghasheed – spicy shredded shark. For more information contact: www.alasalahrestaurants.com
Mezlai
Mezlai’s name, taken from the Arabic word for ‘the old lock on the door’, gives an idea of what to expect from this fine dining restaurant in the Emirates Palace. Chef Ali is Emirati and cooks Emirati cuisine in a grand setting decorated with lanterns and chandeliers. For more information call: 02 690 7999.
Yadoos
Since this restaurant opened in October near Guardian Towers, it’s been a hit with locals. Seek it out to try baby shark in a traditional majlis setting. For more information call: 050 709 4968.
What National Day Means To You
Sameera Baig
Sameera Baig, 40, is from Pakistan but has lived in the UAE since she was two-years-old. She helps organise a community-run nonprofit organisation for parents who homeschool their children.
Even though I’m not a UAE citizen, I consider it my country. I’ve lived here nearly all my life, I met my husband here and my kids were born here.
I organise a harvest festival in a park for members of our homeschooling association every year a week before National Day, and host a National Day quiz. This year on the day itself I am encouraging women to take the Hijab Challenge – I want to get women who don’t normally cover their hair to wear a hijab in public for a day while they go about their daily routine, then share their experiences. I heard about a similar challenge in Australia on Facebook and I think it’ll be a great cultural learning exercise.
I’ve already floated the idea with mothers in the group; at our last weekly meeting, I took along some colourful hijabs and dressed eight women, showed them how to look nice in them and told them where to buy one. After they’d spent the day wearing it they told me how they felt – sticky and hot, oppressed, free and anonymous or feeling a sense of belonging. Most found it exciting, but they wanted the Emirati look, they wanted to wear a black sheila.
From National Day to 7th December women can upload their messages and videos onto my Facebook page – search for ‘Sameera Baig’. The stories with the most likes will be awarded with a sheila on 10th December.
I’ll also be decorating my villa in Al Bateen with a UAE flag, my car with smaller flags and my kids will be wearing UAE caps.
National Day is important as it brings Emiratis together. It’s made the UAE a strong country. I’m proud to live in the UAE; I’ve witnessed its progress. What I like is that the change never stops.
The UAE has also given me the opportunity to grow as a person as I’ve met people from so many cultures here. You don’t get that anywhere else. The mix is amazing, and I appreciate the rulers who’ve maintained the harmony – they keep everyone happy. It’s nice to have a special heritage day to remember that.
Ali Kaddas
Ali Kaddas, 38, is an Emirati oil and gas entrepreneur and a committee member for The Club, a private member’s club for expats that was founded in 1962.
My father, Abdullah, was an agricultural advisor for the government; Sheikh Zayed awarded him a scholarship to learn irrigation and agriculture in Phoenix, Arizona, and he then supervised the building of greenhouses on Saadiyat Island in 1972.
Dad said Sheikh Zayed never saw himself as a leader. He always wanted to be treated normally. So you often see photos of him with a shovel digging a hole, on his knees or watering a tree. He wanted to help others. He gave his land to the people; he’d give loans, sometimes he’d even waive debt. That’s why so many families named children after him in the 80s and 90s – we have about ten Zayeds in our family because of what he did for us.
My dad was one of the earliest members at The Club – he was number 415. Back then it just had a few wooden tables on the beach, a few trees and low walls. It’s expanded over the years and it now has a gym, landscaped gardens, restaurants, a tennis court and other facilities. I’ve maintained his legacy.
My earliest memory of National Day was around 1979, when I was three.
My family and I went to the Corniche to watch a parade that ran from Sheraton Abu Dhabi to Hilton Abu Dhabi. People stood and saluted as Army tanks and police cars drove by, with their noisy, smoky diesel engines. There were no high-tech graphic stickers covering the vehicles back then; people celebrated by buying kites or balloons from roadside stalls, and carrying posters of Sheikh Zayed.
National Day is important because Sheikh Zayed had a vision to unite the emirates, and that’s what National Day does. It binds us together and keeps us strong. It gives Emiratis the chance to stand as one man, one hand, one voice.
It shows we care about our country. It gives us the opportunity to remember what our people have done in the past for this country.
On 2nd December I will take my kids to the Corniche for the carnival, then we’ll have a barbecue at our farm in Al Khaznah between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain with 25 family members.
Ali Al Saloom
Ali Al Saloom, 35, is an Emirati author, TV presenter and cultural commentator (see www.ask-ali.com).
National Day is when people in the UAE come together to remember our forefathers, without whom we wouldn’t speak as Emiratis – we’d be Abu Dhabians and Ajmanians. It reminds us we re a united federation. Without unification we definitely wouldn’t be where we are today.
I met Sheikh Zayed when I was a young boy about eight or nine, over 20 years ago. It was at a public event at his palace in Al Mushrif. I shook his hand. I’ll never forget how warm his smile was and how firm his handshake was.
People came from all over the country to meet him. I saw him another few times, waving from a car on National Day.
This year I’ll be working in Australia on National Day but if I wasn’t I might give my nieces a tour of Abu Dhabi’s historic points. I usually celebrate the day by attending the Sheikh’s palaces but the rest of the day I will spend with my family. We eat dates and coffee on silverware we save for special occasions.
Seeing everyone decorate their cars and take part in the parade is, for me, a joyous occasion. I also like that each emirate has started to create its own celebration. They want to set world records for the highest, the most, the biggest … The latest trend is to walk to the Sheikh’s palace, hand him a flag and watch him raise it.
When you drive from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, at one point the road surface changes so you can feel the difference, the trees change so you can see the difference. For me that point is beautiful because it shows we don’t have borders. It used to be different passports for different emirates. Now we only have one passport and no checkpoints. That’s what United Arab Emirates is all about.
Juma Al Darmaki
Juma Al Darmaki, 41, is Emirati and the curator of Zayed Museum in Al Bateen.
National Day is an important day for all the generations who witnessed the change from the Trucial States to the UAE through their ancestors. For me, National Day is about remembering the UAE’s creator, Sheikh Zayed.
I met him once in 2001, at an event at Marina Mall. When he entered, I was near the gate so I suddenly saw him – it was a shock for me. I shook his hand and he asked, “Why aren’t you wearing the gutra?” because my head wasn’t covered with a traditional scarf. I told him I’d just popped out to buy some fish. He said, “OK, but next time wear one as you should always be in national dress”.
Ever since then I’ve worn a gutra – because Sheikh Zayed told me to wear it.
He also asked after my mother and father, how my children were, whether I needed anything. I said no. He asked if I had a loan, or whether I needed a car, a farm, a house, things like that. He asked many local people that. If we didn’t have something we needed, he said we should give a request to his people and they have 24 hours to sort out our problems.
So now when people ask me why I love Sheikh Zayed I tell them it’s because he took care of his people. He wanted to take care of me and my family.
That’s why I set up Zayed Museum in the sheikh’s honour. It has a photo gallery of Sheikh Zayed and visiting royalty and displays of personal items such as his favourite hunting rifles and cherished vehicles – which he often drove through the city without a bodyguard. It also has gifts he received from all over the world, such as stuffed lions and cheetahs.
Everything that has anything to do with the late Sheikh Zayed is a treasure to the people of the UAE; the collection is his legacy. It’s open Sunday to Thursday 8am to 3pm, and after 30th November we’ll also have a Heritage Village open to the public.
Wolfgang Maier
Wolfgang Maier, 51, from Germany, is the General Manager of Hilton Abu Dhabi. He worked at the hotel in 1981 and became manager in 2011.
When I arrived in Abu Dhabi, the Corniche was much shorter and thinner than it is now; it ran from Sheraton Abu Dhabi to us, we were pretty much at the end. Marina Mall wasn’t there; people would go fishing on the breakwater. Back then, there was no tourism, and the population was a lot smaller, so National Day celebrations weren’t as spectacular as they are now, they were on a much smaller scale. There were no fireworks, no aeroplane flypasts. Now it’s a tourist attraction.
Back then, Sheikh Zayed would hold receptions – he’d come to the hotel to drink Arabic coffee. I greeted him many times, and shook his hand. I thought he was a wonderful man, a real father figure.
If it weren’t for him Abu Dhabi wouldn’t be as green as it is. He got farmers to grow fruit and vegetables in Al Ain to reduce the dependency of shipping them in from overseas. He had a green thumb and was concerned for the environment. He was sensitive to its destruction; he didn’t like chopping down trees.
This year I’ll be celebrating National Day at Hiltonia with my family. National Day is a celebration of the UAE’s history, its development and achievements. It brings the past and present together. It’s everyone’s National Day, not just Emiratis. Everyone comes together so you really feel part of the day and its events. The city is still developing, it’s still growing, so we’re making history now.
Khulood Al Marzooqi
Khulood Al Marzooqi, 35, is an Emirati planning manager for Al Ain at the Urban Planning Council.
UPC helps to develop the Government’s plan for the future, Economic Vision 2030. I help develop masterplans for Emirati housing in Al Ain and revitalise existing communities by identifying gaps in them.
We have to think about future generations, to ensure they have a community with complete facilities and infrastructure. Sometimes communities now lack essentials such as schools, parks, clinics, mosques you can walk to which reduces the need for driving. The problem at the moment is 60 per cent of accommodation is built but the facilities are not. We must address these needs and think about how to enhance quality of life for Emiratis and expats.
We have developed at a fast pace over the past 43 years; I don’t think the development will be as fast in the coming years. Instead we will take time to establish all the things we have learnt about, which is a good thing.
National Day is a day for us to celebrate the UAE’s achievements and look back at where we have been, where we are now and where we are planning to be in the future. This year, like most years, I’ll be having a family gathering at our farm, which we decorate with flags. We’ll eat traditional food and listen to my dad’s stories about life in the UAE in the past. Storytelling is a common pastime on National Day.
My dad once told me back in the 60s it was difficult to move among houses because there was no sewerage system, there were open gutters so it smelt terrible especially in the summer. The houses were raised on platforms so people didn’t have to walk on the ground. They didn’t have cars so travelling to Al Ain could take weeks, not hours. My mum told me my great grandfather travelled to Mecca for the Muslim pilgrimage Hajj, but when he arrived it was over – it had taken him a month to get there so he decided to stay until the next Hajj the following year. As there was no postal system he couldn’t contact our family to tell them so after a few months they thought he’d died and they held a funeral. Then a year later he showed up!
Schools celebrate National Day too; girls wear henna, gold on their head and dresses in the colours of the UAE flag, while boys wear kandoras. Most people celebrate the past on National Day rather than the future – but if you don’t have a past then you don’t have a future.
Ivor Prestwood
Ivor Prestwood, 58, is from England. He is the General Manager of InterContinental Abu Dhabi.
I’ve been in the Middle East since 1988, but I arrived in the UAE in 2006 to work at Crowne Plaza on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. I moved to Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi four years later. In November I started at InterContinental Abu Dhabi.
The hotel originally opened in 1981 for the first GCC summit, which was held inside the hotel. In fact, the round teak table used by the GCC leaders was made especially for the summit and flown in by helicopter; there’s a photo of it in the lobby.
On my first National Day in Dubai, my colleagues recommended I didn’t go out because it would be so busy, especially north of the creek. Working in hospitality, we prepared for lots of locals coming to stay from all over the UAE – from Ras Al Khaimah and Liwa and so on.
This year I’ll be celebrating the day at InterContinental Abu Dhabi. The guest rooms which overlook the Corniche offer a great view of the fireworks, while guests with club access can watch them from the club lounge, which has a fabulous view of the Corniche.
We’ll be serving 43 varieties of marshmallows in local flavours such as dates, saffron, camel milk and rosewater in the lobby, which will be decorated with giant flags. We’ll also serve national dishes such as fish, harees and ouzi – lamb and rice – in Selections, our international restaurant.
As an expat, National Day is a great opportunity to savour the local culture. It’s a chance to embrace how much the UAE has achieved in just 43 years. The changes in that time have been phenomenal – nowhere else in the world has changed so quickly. And it continues to change. National Day gives us time to reflect on the nation’s past, present and future.
Arabella Willing
Arabella Willing, 27, is a marine biologist for Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi.
The UAE has developed at an astounding rate, but thankfully the value of its ecosystems has not been forgotten. Abu Dhabi’s mangrove forests cover 70 sq km over 500km of coastline. The Gulf is home to the world’s second largest population of dugongs, while critically endangered hawksbill turtles continue to nest on Saadiyat Beach, just a few kilometres from the city.
At Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, minimising our impact on the environment is a high priority, as it is for the country’s leaders. The size and number of national parks and protected areas is increasing, and the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund has donated over AED 40 million to conservation projects around the world.
National Day is about celebrating the UAE – its heritage and its future. There is so much to be proud of, not least its natural wonders. It is the perfect time to engage with the unique environment around us.
On the big day I’ll be greeting 100 kids who will come to the hotel to take part in a Hyatt Thrive Turtle Survivor Challenge, a series of obstacles that mimic the dangers faced by turtles in the wild. They’ll also learn how to contribute to the conservation effort while raising money for the Marine Turtle Conservation Project.
Beware!
So you think National Day is an excuse to drive like a maniac? Think again, say the police. You might have seen tots hanging out of windows and men sitting on car bonnets while in motion at previous celebrations, but try that this year and you’ll get more than a slap on the wrist.
To stay safe and on the right side of the law, don’t alter the original colour of your car, over-tint your windows or mark your vehicle with indecent comments. Avoid cramming in too many passengers and make sure they don’t lean out of windows or spray silly string out of them – tempting as it may be…
Sarah Riches