UAE President Sheikh Mohamed walked through Dubai Mall greeting shoppers on Monday night in a show of resilience that resonated with people across the nation.
The head of state walked with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
He posed for a photo with a tourist filming in the mall and spoke with a young girl who ran up to him.
Sheikh Mohamed and his companions then had coffee about 9pm, shortly after breaking their fast at iftar.
"Powerful message. The resilient UAE is one of the few truly neutral places in the world, focused on peacemaking and prosperity," said Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund and a frequent visitor to the Emirates.
Senior UAE leaders are often seen at the wheel of their own vehicles and in public places with light security - but the appearance took on extra significance given the Iranian bombardment in recent days, which shut much of the Gulf's airspace.
The series of videos were viewed millions of times on social channels.
"World leaders should take this as an example," said a follower on The National's Instagram.
Another said: "Good governance is really seen in UAE. They house and feed all the stranded travellers too."
In Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, held an open-air iftar and reception for a selection of guests at Emirates Palace.
Government leaders are understood to be keen to see people get back to their lives as best they can, while closely following alerts relating to the bombardment.
The UAE's air defences have shot down the vast majority of missiles and drones fired by Iran, with most damage caused by falling debris.
On Tuesday, there is expected to be a decision on whether schools will reopen following their closure and shift to distance learning on Monday and Tuesday.
It is currently up to the private sector whether they wish to work from home or return to offices, though many have worked remotely in recent days.
