Today is a day of reflection, of remembrance and solemn tribute to the memory of the Emirati martyrs whose sacrifices will forever be etched in the nation’s history.
Commemoration Day, November 30, holds significant meaning to the UAE, it was the day in 1971, when the first Emirati martyr Salem Suhail Bin Khamis sacrificed himself in the defence of his nation’s land, sovereignty, and pride. He was martyred by the Iranian forces that occupied the Greater Tunb island, two days before the inception of the UAE union.
He refused to lower the flag of Ras Al Khaimah before he was shot by the Iranian forces. Since then, an honourable list of martyrs, servicemen and women, including the glorious members of the armed forces who were martyred while serving in Yemen, have written names, with their precious blood, in our history as symbols of the country’s independence, unity and achievements.
These brave souls have answered the call of the UAE to protect the homeland and preserve the cause of peace of security across the region and beyond. The Commemoration Day gives us the chance to remember those heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice whilst fulfilling their sacred duties
UAE leaders on Sunday paid tribute to those brave souls who sacrificed their lives for their nation. “We will always remember with appreciation and gratitude the nation’s children who sacrificed their lives in the fields of truth and duty, the fields of redemption; in defence of the nation, in preservation of its sovereignty, and in protection of its achievements,” President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a statement Sunday.
The UAE martyrs will remain alive and fresh in the memory of generations to come and in the conscience of the people of UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said.
Stars that illuminate our present and future
“They are like the stars that illuminate our present and future with the noblest values and meanings and urge us to give more for the sake of the homeland,” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces noted on Sunday.
These brave souls have answered the call of the UAE to protect the homeland and preserve the cause of peace of security across the region and beyond. The Commemoration Day gives us the chance to remember those heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice whilst fulfilling their sacred duties.
Their families, forever proud of their sacrifices, will always find comfort in knowing that the sacrifices of their sons and daughters will always be appreciated by the people of the UAE. Their memory will be treasured by this and the future generations of this country. We owe them the freedom, peace and stability. These great values have a price. We are indebted to the martyrs who paid with the ultimate price — their precious blood in defending those principles.
