Union Pledge Day: UAE declares July 18 a day to commemorate nation's journey

Occasion marks signing of the declaration of the Union and the UAE Constitution in 1971

President Sheikh Mohamed has said July 18 is a 'national occasion to celebrate the history of our country'. Abdulla Al Bedwawi / Presidential Court

President Sheikh Mohamed declared that July 18 is to be known as Union Pledge Day to mark the date's significance in the UAE's history.

It was on this date in 1971 that UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, signed the declaration of the Union and the Constitution, while announcing the country would be named officially as the United Arab Emirates.

"On this day in 1971, the Founding Father and his brothers the Rulers signed the declaration of the Union and the UAE Constitution while announcing the name of our country: the United Arab Emirates," Sheikh Mohamed said on X.

"In preparation for the nation’s establishment on December 2, it was a historic day on which they laid the foundations of the Union. Today, we declare July 18 as Union Pledge Day, a national occasion to celebrate the history of our country and the blessed journey towards establishing the Union."

Sheikh Mohamed added that Union Pledge Day is an occasion to renew the country's commitment to preserve unity and progress, state news agency Wam reported.

Union Pledge Day is the fourth national occasion in the UAE, after Union Day, Flag Day and Commemoration Day.

The date is to be marked to promote the national values and principles established by Sheikh Zayed when the country was founded, Wam said.

It is also hoped the day will raise awareness among younger generations about the country’s history and the sacrifices and efforts made to establish the UAE.

"On this date, the founding fathers signed the Union Document and they drafted the state’s Constitution, and here we are today celebrating this covenant and immortalising it in the nation’s memory and the conscience of its people," Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, said on X.

He said it is a "historic day that embodies the values of unity and solidarity among the people of the Emirates".

Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, said Union Pledge Day "strengthens the national narrative of the Emirates and commemorates a memory that represents a national symbol of unity and renaissance".

Also making his comments on X, he said the date represented "a turning point in our blessed journey with the determination and sound vision of the founding leaders".