Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved naming November 3, the day of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s accession as Flag Day, an occasion that will be celebrated annually in the UAE.

The launch of Flag Day initiative reflects the culture of respecting the flag that serves a revered symbol of the UAE’s sovereignty and unity, and a symbol of loyalty and dedication to the nation.

The initiative also highlights the keenness of consolidating national values, the first of which is national unity, as well as organising the work of all segments of society for serving the nation, and bolstering values of the Union on the foundation of the UAE flag serving as the key symbol of the country’s unity.

Shaikh Mohammad also launched the ‘My work serves my flag’ campaign on the occasion of the UAE’s 41st National Day. The campaign, organised by Watani programme, aims to link feelings of nationalism and loyalty to the UAE with hard work in order to protect the UAE’s achievements and consolidate the concept of good citizenship. It will also aim to link the concept of hard work with bolstering the UAE’s position, and highlighting the role of hard work and achievements in the development of the nation.

The campaign will target Emirati and expatriate students and their parents from schools across the UAE, which includes 800 schools in the northern emirates. It will include a number of activities comprised of visits to various governmental and private sector establishments that will be organised by the Watani programme.

Visits will be carried out to various locations such as the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs, the Federal National Council, the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care, Special Needs and Minors Affairs, Emirates Transport, the Civil Defence Department, the Mohammad Bin Rashid establishment, DEWA, Al Ain Municipality, the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, and other bodies.

Under the campaign, targeted individuals will be able to create cards highlighting their achievements or activities in service of the nation and contributing to the march of development. The cards will then be forwarded by the Watani programme to Shaikh Khalifa.

A campaign to collect these cards will be organised in various parts of the emirate as part of the UAE’s 41st National Day. The cards will then sorted into albums that will include the achievements of the people as a symbol that highlights the importance of acting on feelings of loyalty and dedication in a way that emphasises their faith in the UAE’s developmental project.

In regards to activities for Flag Day, an art exhibition titled ‘My work serves my flag’ will be organised for Emirati and expatriate artists living in the UAE. Works will use the late Salim Suhail, who died in November 30, 1971 while upholding the UAE flag on Greater Tunb Island, as an inspiration. The exhibition will be held in Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Academic Medical Centre in Dubai Healthcare City.