UAE | General
Party mood makes National Day memorable
Car rallies, firework displays, charity drives and a marine parade were among dozens of activities
- By Anjana Sankar, Senior Reporter;Kevin Scott, Mohammad Al Khan and Ahmad Namatalla, Staff Reporters
- Published: 00:00 December 3, 2009
- Image Credit: Abdul Rahman, Gulf News
- Fireworks display held as part of the National Day celebration at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi. Emiratis and expatriates came together to celebrate the 38th National Day with a range of activities in the UAE.
Dubai/Abu Dhabi: Car rallies, firework displays, charity drives and a marine parade were among dozens of activities held across the UAE Wednesday as thousands of people came out to celebrate the country's 38th National Day.
All seven emirates were awash with colours as a festive atmosphere swept the nation. Motorists jostled for attention with flamboyantly decorated vehicles and UAE flags fluttered around every corner in the early December breeze.
A flotilla of vessels made its way down Dubai Creek in a parade attended by Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture. Civil defence boats led the way with an impressive show as they gave the crowd on either side of the creek a water cannon display to rival that of the Burj Dubai fountain.
Police and navy vessels escorted the procession from Al Seef waterbus station to the windtowers of Shindagha Heritage village. The parade consisted of several large 100-foot yachts as well as fishing boats, traditional wooden rowboats, racing boats and sailboats.
The Roads and Transport Authority also made an appearance with 30 abras and six waterbuses taking part in the event.
Members of the Women Auto Racing Club, draped in UAE colours doubling up as shaylas and with the national flag gliding down behind their abayas, got behind the wheel for a Unity Drive across the seven emirates in a bid "to drive away diabetes".
The convoy of cars, painted in red, green, black and white, passed through Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain before finishing in Ajman.
Awareness
Shaima Al Sayed, member of the organising committee, said the idea of the drive was to celebrate the formation of the UAE federation and to spread awareness of diabetes.
She said: "It is a great occasion that reminds us of the hard work done by our leaders in forming this great country. We are also taking advantage of the occasion to spread some social awareness."
In Abu Dhabi the Corniche was transformed into a catwalk for dozens of exquisitely-decorated vehicles. Emiratis were joined by first and second generation expatriates for the colourful display in the capital.
"I was born here and my parents have lived here for 24 years," said Amir Yousuf, a 20-year-old Pakistani resident of Abu Dhabi.
Yousuf draped the hood of his 1999 BMW M-5 with a giant UAE flag and applied hundreds of tiny flag-coloured stars all over the vehicle. His friend Mohammad Al Muhairi, a 19-year-old Emirati resident of Abu Dhabi, said they had been decorating their vehicles for National Day since they were teenagers.
A fireworks display at the Emirates Palace Hotel Wednesday evening saw 100,000 devices from 12 barges fired into the air at heights of up to 2,000 metres.
Thousands gathered at various vantage points, including Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Shaikh Zayed Mosque and Al Bateen Marina, to witness celebrations end with a bang.
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