Dazzling 51st National Day show celebrates Emirati roots and points to a bright future

The UAE's stunning 51st National Day show celebrated the best of the nation and showcased its grand ambitions for the next 50 years.

An extravaganza of dancers, live music and performances ― as well as the arrival of an Etihad Rail passenger train ― delivered a taste of Emirati heritage and a snapshot of how the UAE will be shaped in the coming years.

Almost 7,000 international engineers, creatives and technicians worked behind the scenes to bring together a show streamed at 50 locations nationwide and to millions of homes on local television.

The rulers of the seven emirates, led by President Sheikh Mohamed, watched on as a visually breathtaking show unfolded at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Running just short of an hour in length, the celebration of Emirati trailblazers played out on a stage themed as a time tunnel to demonstrate the nation’s progress since 1971.

At each end, 51 lights signified every year of its history.

Performance focused on an everyday Emirati, born in the UAE, as he aged and raised a family, with his growth signifying the progress of the UAE, until his 100th birthday in 2071.

Played out to a live performance from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Emirates Choir, the story began with a rousing rendition of the national anthem.

President Sheikh Mohamed waves to passengers on an Etihad Trail train which rolled onto the stage. Photo: National Day show

Tribute was paid to the late President Sheikh Khalifa, who led the UAE from 2004 to 2022, with archive footage shown to celebrate his many achievements.

Particular focus was paid on his impact in areas such as the environment, sustainability, technology, the economy and education.

UAE climate action and food security efforts

The show highlighted the UAE’s rich biodiversity and its long maritime connections, with huge handmade models of fish, turtles, rays and sharks sweeping across the stage, illuminated to signify the surrounding seas.

A short speech by Noura Al Mansoori, a marine scientist and conservationist, raised the importance of protecting sea life and preserving biodiversity.

“Our sea is our culture, history and future,” she said. “Together we can keep it safe.”

About 10,000 mangrove saplings were part of the ceremony, to be planted at various sites to contribute to the UAE’s pledge to plant 100 million mangroves by 2030.

Mangroves act as the nation’s lungs, because they sequester four times the carbon of tropical rainforests and protect against sandstorms.

The show went on to describe how agriculture is adopting new methods, such as hydroponics and vertical farming, as the climatic conditions evolve.

More than 35,000 farms in the UAE now use these kinds of techniques to save water and space.

“Our land is fertile,” said Abdulla Al Kaabi, an agritech expert. “In it, we planted our dreams and from it, we reap its fruit.”

UAE's growing role in space race

The visually stunning show highlighted the UAE's growing role in the space sector. Photo: National Day show

The time tunnel then took viewers into the cosmos, with a nod to the UAE’s space programme.

Where once the nation’s forefathers relied upon the stars for navigation, modern-day Emiratis prepare to explore the outer reaches of space and embark on new journeys to the Moon and Mars.

The show heard from Fatema Al Hamili, an aerospace engineer who has dreamt of venturing into space since the age of seven.

In 2022, the UAE marked 25 years of its space programme.

Etihad Rail then took centre stage during the live performance, as the 400-seat passenger train that will connect all seven emirates on a 1,200km network rolled into view.

The carriage was accompanied by a stream of about 100 amateur and professional cyclists from around the country with illuminated wheels to signify the growing popularity of the sport.

Hundreds of kilometres of cycle tracks have opened up throughout the country in recent years.

Women formed a key foundation of the show, with Maryam Al Mazrouei, an Emirati who works in the solar industry, explaining the importance of generating more clean energy.

The UAE aims to generate 50 per cent of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050, and will host the Cop28 UN climate change conference in 2023.

Literacy was another passage of the performance, with the transfer of knowledge between generations celebrated via the Arabic Reading Challenge and Arab Literacy initiative that has led to an increase in those able to read from 53 per cent of the population in 1975 to 96 per cent today.

Flag-waving children then joined the celebration, with hundreds in a procession through the time tunnel, many of whom had their lives' aspirations beamed on to the stage in Arabic script.

The performance concluded with a vivid display of Al Ayyala dancing from a 200-strong troupe of Emirati performers, another nod to the nation’s cultural heritage.

Where to watch the show in person

An Etihad Rail passenger train prepares to emerge from the time tunnel stage. Photo: National Day show

Following a spectacular show beamed to homes across the nation, the public will have a chance to join the celebrations in person.

The National Day show will be performed before crowds at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from December 3 to 11.

Tickets for the nine shows ― which start at 6pm each day ― are available for Dh200 via the National Day website. Children under three can attend for free.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Sanju

Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani

Director: Rajkumar Hirani

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani

Rating: 3.5 stars

How to wear a kandura

Dos

Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts

Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying

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What is Diwali?

The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.

According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.

In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.

Dazzling 51st National Day show celebrates Emirati roots and points to a bright future

Etihad Rail's 400-seater passenger train steals the show as nation charts remarkable rise