Beginning this April, the UAE will go all out celebrating its achievements, milestones and heroes to mark the country’s 50th year of independence.
Every year, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, declares a national initiative for the country and the last decade saw themes like ‘Year of Reading, in 2016’ and ‘Year of Giving’ in 2017 and ‘Year of Tolerance’ in 2019. Not to mention ‘Year of Zayed’ in 2018, the UAE celebrated the centennial anniversary of the birth of the UAE’s founding father, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan with a multitude of shows, events and displays honing the late leader.
From 6th April 2021 till 31st March 2022, the UAE will see a line-up of activities, initiatives and grand celebrations to mark the country’s golden jubilee, governed by the UAE Golden Jubilee Committee. The committee encompasses members from numerous federal and local departments.
The activities marking “Year of the 50th” have the following foundational pillars:
-Launching the Year 50 with a festive spirit that engages all those who consider the UAE their homeland.
-Calling upon all UAE nationals to contemplate the values and achievements of the past in acknowledgement of the UAE Founding Fathers.
-Inspiring youth to have their vision about the ambitions of the next 50 years, while supporting them to make quality national achievements in furtherance of The March of Development, Progress and Prosperity.
“Year of the 50th’ represents a historic defining moment in our journey that started immediately after the declaration of the UAE’s union in 1971. It’s an acknowledgement of the resolute will and strong determination our Founding Fathers had while building up their nation. It also comes in recognition of the sincere efforts made by our citizens for our nation to be what we are seeing today as one of the best growing and fastest developing countries in the world.”
His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE
There’s a lot of accomplishments the UAE takes pride in: The Emirates Mars Mission’s Hope Probe successfully making it to the orbit of Mars, Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, the Arab World’s first commercial nuclear power station in the UAE, Burj Khalifa standing tall as the tallest building on Earth, Dubai winning the bid to host Expo 2020, the UAE being named the most generous country in the world, to name a few.

Photograph credit: Dubai Media Office
(Featured photograph credit: WAM)