Canada Flag
Burj Khalifa will be lit up with the colours of Canadian flags on July 1 Image Credit: Gulf News

Canada-UAE Friendship to be marked on Canada’s National Day, 1 July, with flag-inspired display on tallest building in the world

Dubai: Canadian citizens living in the UAE can watch the world’s tallest building the world Burj Khalifa lit up with their country’s national flag colours on the occasion of Canadian National Day on July 1.

The iconic Burj Khalifa will be lit up with a design inspired by the national flag of Canada at 8.25pm on July 1, the Embassy of Canada to the UAE announced on Thursday.

The flag-inspired projection can be seen for approximately one minute and ten seconds. Pictures will be shared on the Embassy’s social media accounts as well.

The Burj Khalifa itself is a shining example of the highly productive collaboration between Canada and the United Arab Emirates, in more ways than one. Many Canadian companies contributed to its design and development, including the Burj Khalifa’s architectural supervision during construction, the plan for surrounding neighbourhood, the building’s wind resistance analysis, the visitor experience, and custom lighting on the At the Top observations decks.

The Burj Khalifa’s award-winning and record-breaking LED lighting system, the very one which will display the Canada Day design, was also created by Canadians.

The awe-inspiring display to celebrate national day of Canada underscores the role of Canadian enterprise and creativity in making the Burj Khalifa the global icon it is today, as well as the ongoing contribution to building the UAE made by the 40,000 Canadians living here.

More broadly, the Canada Day lighting represents the bond between Canada and the United Arab Emirates as well as the great potential for collaboration between our two inclusive and future-oriented countries.

I can think of no greater validation of both our missions’ efforts to build links between our countries than to see our flag projected sky-high on the Burj Khalifa

- Masud Husain, Ambassador of Canada to the UAE

“As my three years as Canada’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates draw to a close, I can think of no greater validation of both our missions’ efforts to build links between our countries than to see our flag projected sky-high on the Burj Khalifa,” said Masud Husain, Ambassador of Canada to the UAE.

“It is all the more fitting that it should happen during the Year of Tolerance. Let this moment inspire Canadians, Emiratis and all UAE residents, and let it remind them that the future belongs to societies which welcome and include all, no matter their ethnicity, culture or religion,” he added.

In his message on the occasion, Marcy Grossman, Consul General of Canada in Dubai, said that entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation are increasingly Canada’s international calling cards, and nowhere is that better represented than in the significant contribution of Canadians to the building of the Burj Khalifa.

“As we turn our attention to Expo 2020 Dubai, you can expect to see more great things from Canada,” Grossman added.