Seven chapters told the story of UAE history and heritage in a spectacular display at Jebel Hafeet National Park to mark Eid Al Etihad.
President Sheikh Mohamed, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Rulers of the Emirates and their representatives, witnessed a ceremony to inspire all those who call the UAE home to follow in the footsteps of those who built the nation.
With the stunning mountain backdrop of Jebel Hafeet, the stage was set to highlight the importance of the natural world and how it is entwined with the building of the nation as it is today.
With the stunning backdrop of Jebel Hafeet, the stage was set to highlight the importance of the natural world and its connection to the steady progress of the nation.
Accompanied by music from the London Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring 33 Emirati musicians alongside 66 international players, the rich heritage of the UAE was explored in a 40-minute show. Complete with a train of camels, more than 10,000 people of 81 nationalities were involved in the production.
Leading star
To set the scene in 2,500BC, the opening chapter focused on Thuraya, a constellation that acted as a guide for travellers.
Stars once played an important role in the way tribesmen predicted weather patterns using the Duroor system, by which navigators would track the movements of specific stars to synchronise their activities with nature’s cycles.
The Thuraya star cluster would rise in May at the start of the hot season before disappearing from view in November.
The second chapter explored the evolution of knowledge and engineering to bring water to arid deserts. It showed how the first falaj was created, a rudimentary irrigation channel, transforming barren landscapes into a lush oasis of life.
Another key moment in UAE history was marked in chapter three, with the early development of gestures and communication. It also demonstrated how communities were built around the palm tree, with dates offering a rich source of nutrients and building materials.
Camels began to play a more prominent role in trade and exploration, expanding the borders of well-established communities.
The story moved forward into the 20th century, with chapter four reliving the early influence of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It revealed how his experiences as a child would bring him the wisdom and values he would harness in the years ahead, shaping the future of the country.
Founding Father
The young Sheikh Zayed and his mother moved to Al Ain in 1926 and he was the Ruler's Representative in Al Ain region from 1946-1966, before becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
A focus of the chapter was a tribute to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed, who passed away in May and who Sheikh Zayed had mentored in his early years. As the narrative progressed, the show moved towards the signing of the Union Pledge on July 18, 1971, that led to the founding of the UAE five months later.
The audience heard the voice of Ahmed Khalifa Al Suwaidi – who served as personal representative of the president and was the UAE's first minister of foreign affairs – reading the union proclamation for the first time on December 2, 1971, and a quote from the late Sheikh Zayed: “This country requires a strong-willed army, an army that understands what it is, present and the future.”
In chapter six, the show took a glance into the future. The role of innovation has become a cornerstone of Emirati life, with the country becoming an AI and technology hub.
Sustainability
There was a reference to sustainability and a focus on learning from the mistakes of the past by development with the environment in mind.
Organisers said the modular stage used for the performance was to be recycled and reused, while 3D-printed artificial coral reefs are being planted around the coastline to restore marine environments damaged by development.
Fireworks did not feature, with a light display instead involving an intricate fleet of drones bringing to life the story of the UAE.
In the closing chapter, hundreds of brightly dressed schoolchildren took to the stage to present a traditional Harbiya performance, an Emirati dance rooted in Bedouin culture and known as a favourite of the late Sheikh Tahnoon.
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A foster couple or family must:
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- not be younger than 25 years old
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- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
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Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
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Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
