UAE | Government
Young and old turn in droves for UAE National Day march
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, led the National Day march at the Jumeirah Beach Road on Monday.
- By Alia Al Theeb, Staff Reporter
- Published: 18:09 December 1, 2008
Dubai: Jumeirah Road became a spectacular scene on Monday as the old and young cheered "long live UAE" during the Union March led by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, on the occasion of UAE's 37th national day.
Board members of Dubai Executive Council, heads of government departments, a large number of civil servants, professionals, and students, as well as scores of citizens and residents took part in the grand parade.
Matching steps with the patriotic tunes played by the Dubai Police Band, the parade started moving from the Jumeirah Beach Centre along the Jumeirah Beach Road to finish off at the Union Square, where the band struck the UAE National Anthem to signal the start of the official programme.
The Union Square holds a historic significance as the UAE flag was raised there for the first time 37 years ago to mark the fruition of the vision of the founding fathers, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
The National Day parade was greeted with loud cheers from the public lining on both sides of the road who also witnessed captivating folkloric performances by local troupes and cultural representations of other countries, which further reinforced the solidarity of the Dubai community.
The parade also featured UAE flag parachutes and helicopters carrying giant UAE flags hovering over the parade.
Fatima Mohammad, a 5-year-old girl, who was dressed in the national flag dress, expressed her happiness by singing the national anthem during the parade and waving a small UAE flag with her little hands.
Ahmad Al Shamsi, who had painted his face with the flag's colors, said: "the parade toward the union house, where late Shaikh Zayed raised the United Arab Emirates flag, is a promise from all of us that we will continue walking on his footsteps and maintain the unity which has made our country what it is today."
As the parade came to an end and Jumeirah Road was open, cars decorated with flags and pictures were seen marching along the road and cheering "long live UAE".
Initiative: National identity
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, on Monday launched a new initiative to help embed the spirit of national identity among government employees as part of the UAEs 37th National Day celebrations.
The programme will be implemented with immediate effect by all Dubai Government departments. According to the programme, Dubai Government departments will be rewarded on an annual basis for meeting a set of criteria that includes:
The level of commitment of Emirati employees in wearing the national dress while participating in international events, especially while serving as official representatives of the Dubai Government at conventions or conferences and other official events.
- Selecting Arabic names for government initiatives, projects and programmes to reflect the importance of the Arabic language.
- Using the Arabic language as a primary means of communication, internally and with other government entities as well as the private sector, with an option to use an additional language if required.
- Choosing giveaways and gifts that will reflect the Emirati and Arab heritage to contribute to spreading awareness about the national culture.
- Improving knowledge of the Arabic language among government employees through initiating relevant training and learning programmes
- Launching measures to spread the culture of national identity among various entities in the government sector.
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