Dubai flies the flag at Kite Beach with pride

Residents say that to attend ceremonies was not only a duty but gave them a sense of belonging and showed unity.

Colourful party: young children take part in the Flag Day celebrations in Dubai on Tuesday. Wam

DUBAI // UAE flags adorned homes and businesses on Tuesday as Dubai residents celebrated Flag Day.

Dozens of people went to Kite Beach in Jumeirah to mark the occasion, where thousands of flags were placed.

“We came here to see the flags, and it’s an incredible sight,” said Amna Al Raeesy, 23, who was at the beach with a few of her friends from Sharjah. “This year, it’s extra special, because we have martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country. We are proud, and we have to be stronger than before.”

Mozeh Al Zaarouni, 23, said that they also celebrated at home, where they raised flags.

“This is our duty and gives us a sense of belonging,” she said. “It is our pride, and we want to show other countries [that despite the ongoing war in Yemen] we are united on all fronts.”

For 35-year-old Hussein Al Khalsan, Tuesday marked one of the proudest days in UAE history.

“We are so proud and so happy to be Emiratis,” he said, adding that he went to Kite Beach to take pictures of the flags.

Asma Abdallah also went to Kite Beach to mark the day and take pictures to post on social media sites.

“This day means a lot to us, and we want to show our pride to the people,” the 20-year-old Zayed University student said.

“When I knew there were going to be flags all over here, I thought I had to come. We also celebrated at the university with balloons and flags.”

Amira Abdelaziz, 30, said that this year’s Flag Day was bittersweet because of the martyrs who have been lost in Yemen.

“This is a day to raise our flags, a day of pride,” she said. “We also want to show tourists how much this country means to us. I want to teach my children to love their country and to defend it.”

Mohammed Taher, 27, said Flag Day was always a special occasion and this year carried more significance.

“We have lost people who were precious to us, we lost our brothers. This year’s a little different than before,” he said. “Our martyrs are our pride and the pride of the nation.”

Elsewhere in Dubai, MasterCard and 21 of its bank partners marked Flag Day by setting a Guinness World Record by creating the largest mosaic made entirely from bank cards.

The mosaic depicting the UAE flag was made up of more than 30,000 cards and stretched over 141 square metres. Eyad Al Kourdi, senior vice president and general manager of UAE MasterCard, said setting a world record was not only a great way to bring competitive banks together but to also engrave the UAE’s name and flag in history.

“This is a simple way to say ‘thank you’ to the UAE for hosting us, being our home and being good to us for nearly 30 years,” he said. “This is a day when we all come together, and we unite, and we show our traditions and our values.”

The mosaic will be on display at the Dubai Ice Rink in The Dubai Mall today.

Meanwhile, Dubai’s police, civil defence and health authority raised UAE flags at noon to mark the special occasion.

“Flag Day is an opportunity for Dubai Health Authority employees to reinforce our commitment towards the nation,” said Humaid Al Qatami, chairman of the board and director general of the DHA. “The UAE flag is a symbol of our love, pride and respect for our country and its leaders. We pledge to continue working towards the development of our country.”

At the Dubai Police Academy, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, attended a ceremony to mark the occasion, where he raised the UAE flag.

“We celebrate our tradition of rule by raising the UAE flag in line with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s campaign,” said Dubai Police chief Maj Gen Khamis Al Muzeina. “We assure Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Mohammed that we stand behind them and their wise leadership.”

Maj Gen Rashid Al Matroushi, director of Dubai Civil Defence, said that November 3 is a day to celebrate the “wise leadership that has put us in the highest world ranks”.

“We are proud of our leadership, which has attracted investors and people regardless of their nationalities, gender, and language.”