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The UAE flag has appeared on Google’s homepage across the Emirates, with the words “Proud of the UAE”. While not a Google Doodle – the temporary logo used to mark notable people and events – the flag is instead displayed below the search bar.
This follows a call last week by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, for the UAE flag to be raised high above homes and buildings across the country to celebrate strength and pride in the face of Iranian missile and drone attacks.
“The UAE flag is a symbol of strength and pride. We call on the sons of the Emirates and its residents to fly it above their homes, centres and buildings,” Sheikh Mohammed posted on social media. “We are proud of our country, proud of our President [Sheikh Mohamed], our military strength, our economy, our workforce, all of our citizens and residents on our land, proud of our flag.
“Let us raise the flag high over every home and building, as a sign of our love and symbol of our loyalty to our President and our unity and solidarity. May God protect the UAE, its people.”
The national banner has become one of the most recognisable symbols of the UAE and has taken on a stronger association with pride and unity since war broke out.
The call to fly the UAE flag high came after the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire. The UAE faced a barrage of daily missile and drone attacks from Iran after the war broke out on February 28, with the country’s air defence systems intercepting 537 ballistic missiles, 26 cruise missiles and 2,256 drones from Iran.
The Ministry of Defence said no missiles or drones have been fired on the UAE from Iran since April 9.
The UAE flag
Designed by Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah, the UAE flag features three horizontal bands of green, white and black, with a vertical red strip nearest the mast. These are known as the pan-Arab colours, historically associated with Arab unity and identity.
Their origins trace back to the Arab Revolt of 1916, and they have since appeared in several Arab flags. Al Maainah himself described them as representing successive eras in Islamic and regional history, from the early caliphates to the Fatimid and Ottoman periods.
White, he said, also carries meanings of charity and good deeds, as well as sovereignty and pride.
Other interpretations, including those inspired by the poetry of Safi Al Din Al Hilli, link the colours to virtues such as courage, hope, strength and unity.
Flag Day is celebrated every year on November 3.
Rules for flag display
The UAE has strict rules in place for the display of the UAE flag, periodically updated by the authorities. The Presidential Protocol and Strategic Narrative Authority has a detailed guidebook available online on how to display the flag indoors and outdoors, and what is prohibited.
Here are some of the rules in place to preserve the integrity of the national flag:
- The flag should be printed on durable, high-quality and matte fabric, which should be either polyester or 100 per cent nylon
- When displaying flags indoors, the base can be gold, silver or wooden. The flag must not touch the ground or base, and must be at least 20cm to 25cm from the base
- No additional decorations can be added to the flag and no other flag should be on the same pole
- The flag should be regularly checked for damage, at least once in 45 days. If damaged to any extent, it must be replaced immediately
- When hanging in streets or on buildings, the flag should hang vertically with the red part up and the other three parts facing down so the viewer sees it vertically from every direction
- Damaged flags may be recycled by disintegrating their parts so that they no longer represent the shape of the flag, nor indicate its previous representation
- Do not place any logos, designs or drawings on the UAE flag. The only exception is when the UAE emblem is displayed in the white area and represents the UAE President’s Flag
- The flag shape and colours should only be displayed as intended and not used on decorative elements or altered to fit such purposes. Examples include balloons, logos and typography
- The flag must not be printed on any disposable materials such as pillows, napkins or boxes, and it is prohibited to print the UAE flag on edible items including cakes or sweets, or wrappers for such food items
- The flag or any elements of it must not be used as a trademark or part of a trademark for advertising purposes without prior permission
