Year of Family: UAE unveils plans to support families

Dubai: The UAE on Sunday officially launched the Year of Family 2026 under the tagline 'Growing in Unity', marking a national commitment to nurture family closeness, support growth, and lay the foundations for confident and capable generations.

The Year of Family theme is launched under the UAE Year Of initiative, a national storytelling platform that fosters collective action for everyone who calls the UAE home and aligns with annual national priorities.

Following the directive of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, this year's theme aims to strengthen family bonds and equip families across the UAE to grow with stability and confidence, shaping a future rooted in shared identity.

Strategic priorities

As the President emphasised on Sunday, the UAE will continue to invest in policies and initiatives that deliver lasting progress for everyone who lives in the nation.

Apart from that, the government has unveiled three strategic priorities that will guide the Year of Family, with a focus on providing families with practical support and clear guidance.

Under 'Roots', families will be enabled to practise and model positive values through small, repeatable actions that reinforce healthy social norms and intergenerational continuity.

The 'Bonds' priority encourages everyday behaviours that strengthen family connection by making positive interactions more frequent and socially supported.

Through 'Branches', the government will provide families with clear guidance and accessible tools that help them navigate daily family challenges with confidence and support healthy family growth.

Growing in unity

Building on the nation's enduring values of connection and belonging, the Year of Family sheds light on the everyday moments and efforts that strengthen family wellbeing and shape a shared future rooted in authenticity and openness.

"The Year of Family is a shared moment of reflection and action. It reminds us that families grow through care, connection, and everyday presence. It is a year that invites us to pause, reconnect, and nurture the relationships that shape our homes, our communities, and our future across the UAE,” according to guide published on the initiative's website said.

The initiative emphasises that in every home, there are small pieces reflecting identity: a necklace passed down through generations, a scrap of fabric from an old garment, or a chair a grandmother once sat on. These simple details carry the voices of those who came before and invite families to rediscover what unites them.

Support to navigate challenges

The Year of Family brings communities together around these moments, deepening awareness of the importance of strong family bonds and close relationships that offer strength and reassurance. It invites people to nurture a sense of closeness and responsibility toward loved ones and embrace the quiet fulfilment that comes from caring for one another.

The initiative also acknowledges the challenges parents face today: the fast pace of life, societal expectations, and the desire to do everything perfectly. It reminds families that perfection is not the goal and that families flourish when there is space for mistakes, learning, and listening to one another with open hearts.

This year opens new possibilities for families to grow in an environment that supports stability and wellbeing, laying the foundation for confident, capable generations. The habits and values instilled in children become the basis for sustainable family growth, strengthened by optimism, resilience and humanity.

Building stronger communities

The Year of Family reinforces that what families give today—care, connection and togetherness—builds a stronger community, a more prosperous nation and a future worthy of children's ambitions.

Since 2015, the UAE Year Of initiative has connected communities with national priorities that inspire collective action.

The UAE Year Of initiative is overseen by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, alongside Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Court for National Projects.

The previous initiatives included Innovation (2015), Reading (2016), Giving (2017), Zayed (2018), Tolerance (2019), Preparation for the Next 50 (2020), The 50th (2021), The 50th – Continuation (2022), Sustainability (2023), Sustainability (2024), Community (2025).