UAE at 50: Etihad invites travellers to share UAE stories for new campaign


Hayley Skirka
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With travel still not fully reopen, Etihad Airways is asking would-be travellers to take a journey of a different kind this summer, via a trip down memory lane.

The national airline of the UAE is inviting residents and citizens to share memories of their time spent in the country. The Legacy of a Nation campaign is part of Etihad's 50th anniversary celebratory programme.

Travellers who share their memories have a chance of winning one of 5,000 prizes, including flights to destinations across Etihad's network and bonus Etihad Guest Miles.

Etihad is inviting travellers to take a trip down memory lane by sharing memories of the UAE to celebrate the country's 50th anniversary. Courtesy Etihad
Etihad is inviting travellers to take a trip down memory lane by sharing memories of the UAE to celebrate the country's 50th anniversary. Courtesy Etihad

"This project is an important milestone in Etihad’s celebration of the history of our incredible country. The stories from both Emiratis and expatriates show the unparalleled progress the country has made in such a short period of time,” said Amina Taher, vice president brand, marketing and sponsorships at the airline.

Click through the gallery above to see shared memories of the UAE

"As one of the UAE's leading brands, we actively encourage everyone – whether they are new to the UAE or have spent their entire lives here – to share their story so we can preserve and archive this unique legacy," she said.

The campaign launched on June 7 and is open for entries until July 15. It has already garnered interest with people sharing their stories for others to see.

From fond accounts of family picnics in Al Ain to tales of decades spent serving in the UAE Army or a recollection about a single-digit number plate on an open-top car in the 1960s, each entry is a unique and untold perspective on life in the UAE over the years.

“The legacy of a nation is built with its people and the memories that are locked in their homes, hearts and minds. Let’s take a voyage back in time and reminisce on these historical moments," Etihad said on its website.

Get inspired by visiting Etihad's website to read some of the memories already listed.

The project plans to chart all of the experiences, stories and recollections shared about time spent in the UAE over the past five decades, with input from Emirati citizens and non-Emirati residents, visitors and tourists.

The national airline will then select 50 entries that it feels are a good showcase of the past 50 years of life in the UAE.

Etihad announced in April that it would be giving away 50,000 prizes throughout the year to celebrate the country's golden anniversary.

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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician

Hometown: Ghazala, Syria

Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978

Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter

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If you go...

Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.