Remembering their sacrifice

Wednesday marks Commemoration Day, or Martyrs’ Day in Arabic. The annual day of remembrance is observed on November 30.

The first Commemoration Day was declared by Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE, in 2015. The day pays tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty for the country.

The date holds special significance. Salem Suhail bin Khamis was the first martyr on November 30, 1971. The young soldier died proudly on the Greater Tunb island during a failed Iranian invasion days before the UAE’s formation. He was shot dead because he refused to lower the flag of Ras Al Khaimah when the invaders confronted him.

Commemoration Day falls just before National Day, giving the country a period of reflection for our heroes and time to honour the sacrifices they have made.

The occasion is also meant to inspire young Emiratis to follow the legacy of these martyrs in defending the sovereignty and independence of the country.

Commemoration Day assumed even greater significance after September 4 last year, when more than 50 Emirati soldiers fell in an attack in Marib. The soldiers were in Yemen as part of Operation Restoring Hope, the Saudi-led coalition’s mission to reinstate the country’s legitimate government and protecting our long-term security. Others have lost their lives since that September day, but the magnitude of the Marib attack played particularly heavily on the nation’s heart.

As Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said: “Our martyrs of duty are true models in our history.”

A monument will be opened at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi in memory of the heroic soldiers. The monument, which is made up of 31 metal panels leaning on one another, is designed to convey a sense of unity, strength, solidarity, devotion and loyalty.