Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Supreme Council Members, and rulers and crown princes of the seven emirates in the UAE attended a glittering ceremony in Dubai’s Hatta to mark the country’s 50th National Day and Golden Jubilee.
Among those who attended the official ceremony were Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed al-Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah; Sheikh Saud bin Rashid al-Mu’alla, Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, and Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.
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Staged in Hatta Dam and surrounded by the Hajar Mountains, the live show saw the attendance of residents from across the UAE, and was live streamed by all official television channels and the ‘Official 50th UAE National Day’ website.
The show’s centerpiece was a huge sculpture, supported by modern technology and set on a floating stage on the Hatta Dam, to highlight the close relationship between humans and nature and UAE’s history since the 19th century.
The show comprised nine chapters chronicling highlights from the UAE’s 50-year development journey and projections of the UAE’s future in the next 50 years.
The first chapter of the show included a drum performance, featuring traditional Emirati rhythms which resonated around the mountains, while the second part showcased the earliest form of the Emirati compass, known as Deira, after which 200 drones lit up the sky as the sculpture began projecting Deirat Al Duroor, the ancient astronomical system used by the UAE people in old times.
The third chapter narrated the stories of the UAE’s first female pioneers, including Sheikha Maitha bint Salmeen Al Mansoori, wife of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa, the grandfather of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan.
It concluded with a homage to the achievements of the ‘Mother of the Nation’, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.
As for the fourth chapter, it told the story of the agreement that led to the UAE’s Union, where a picture of the UAE’s late Founding Father appeared on the giant sculpture, while the fifth part of the show shed light on the UAE’s transformation from a desert to a luxuriant green land.
The sixth part featured the UAE’s national anthem, and was followed by a chapter on key moments in the UAE’s history leading to the hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai, to the sounds of traditional music.
Titled ‘Letters to the Future’, the final part of the show featured three girls writing letters to their future selves, epitomizing the UAE’s ambitious vision and aspirations for the future.
The celebration concluded with a dazzling firework spectacle, launched by drones, to mark the end of the first 50 years of the UAE’s journey and the beginning of its march towards the future.
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