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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces celebrate with staff at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre after Hope enters the orbit of Mars in February, 2021. Rashid Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
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The Founding President, Sheikh Zayed raises the flag at Union House in Dubai, December 2, 1971, marking the unification of the UAE. Courtesy: Al Ittihad
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The UAE dirham was launched in 1973. Pawan Singh / The National
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Sheikh Zayed and Queen Elizabeth II at the 1979 inauguration of Le Meridien Abu Dhabi. During the visit, the Queen also inaugurated Dubai World Trade Centre. Courtesy: Le Meridien
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Abu Dhabi Airport, pictured here in 2015 and designed by French architect Paul Andreu. It opened in 1982 and replaced Al Bateen. Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Airports
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Emirates' first flight took off on October 25, 1985, to the Pakistani city of Karachi. Aviation would never be the same again.
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The UAE football team at Giuseppe Meazza stadium in San Siro, Italy, before their World Cup Group D first round match with West Germany in 1990. It was the first time the UAE appeared at the tournament. AFP
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Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Rashid was known as the father of modern Dubai and passed away in 1990. Keystone Features / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
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Sheikh Zayed reviews UAE troops who took part in Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait, 1991. Courtesy: Al Ittihad
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The Burj Al Arab being built in January 1996. The hotel opened a few years later.
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Police control crowds at the funeral for Sheikh Zayed in 2004. Rabih Moghrabi / AFP
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Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was completed in 2007. Ali Hassan / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
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Burj Khalifa a year before it opened in 2010. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
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Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the UAE delegates celebrate winning the Expo 2020 bid for Dubai in Paris in 2013. Antoine Antoniol / Getty Images
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Pope Francis arrives to lead a mass at Zayed Sport City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, 2019. It was the first papal visit to the country. EPA
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Hundreds of thousands of people attended the mass. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces celebrate with staff at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre after Hope enters the orbit of Mars in February, 2021. Rashid Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QFOPZ6IM4LALLIMMWTWIIJKHTY.jpg?smart=true&auth=1ad40e7bed4b0f73956cbfea59a27c09224717eaf7df787112612febfdfa6071&width=400&height=225)
The Founding President, Sheikh Zayed raises the flag at Union House in Dubai, December 2, 1971, marking the unification of the UAE. Courtesy: Al Ittihad
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2HUDVOVVBTQN5XDYABZJNG6DMA.jpg?smart=true&auth=fba21d1239c44dcb2885dcb56e26e612e11dcbe8bd9f67ec30a29e5fc7506da4&width=400&height=225)
The UAE dirham was launched in 1973. Pawan Singh / The National
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Sheikh Zayed and Queen Elizabeth II at the 1979 inauguration of Le Meridien Abu Dhabi. During the visit, the Queen also inaugurated Dubai World Trade Centre. Courtesy: Le Meridien
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2H3QBARBMBCQTRFAYGF34I67GA.jpg?smart=true&auth=1692395e96fe264b03f2e81f79a11178942ef0c11bd059ca7997878ded100e3d&width=400&height=225)
Abu Dhabi Airport, pictured here in 2015 and designed by French architect Paul Andreu. It opened in 1982 and replaced Al Bateen. Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Airports
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XIAIRLYIWJV3EEBX6HXU2TX5ZM.jpg?smart=true&auth=e089f22dcbd7d5c3c28139dbed1a4e5836da030604734fbf89bcbb971289c9b5&width=400&height=225)
Emirates' first flight took off on October 25, 1985, to the Pakistani city of Karachi. Aviation would never be the same again.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XFN7IPQZF5E6XHGE52KU46OJMI.jpg?smart=true&auth=db2a0be431e550611c0dc264d0bd83767dc1db2ca71ef9c3a7110145b8f02491&width=400&height=225)
The UAE football team at Giuseppe Meazza stadium in San Siro, Italy, before their World Cup Group D first round match with West Germany in 1990. It was the first time the UAE appeared at the tournament. AFP
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Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Rashid was known as the father of modern Dubai and passed away in 1990. Keystone Features / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
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Sheikh Zayed reviews UAE troops who took part in Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait, 1991. Courtesy: Al Ittihad
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P34PO7D5RPKIMUMY6O3WAEJAVI.jpg?smart=true&auth=14e5036a063c558fb38e69840dfef4be4e40a07ba8cd0703c11f3693c3b86557&width=400&height=225)
The Burj Al Arab being built in January 1996. The hotel opened a few years later.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J75GEHY5Z2CRN7EAOD5JTYPRNA.jpg?smart=true&auth=72dd193461178259998d594f7a9d0fd3c5db3a0a855d513ba68efa0124be8933&width=400&height=225)
Police control crowds at the funeral for Sheikh Zayed in 2004. Rabih Moghrabi / AFP
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Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was completed in 2007. Ali Hassan / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
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Burj Khalifa a year before it opened in 2010. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National
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Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the UAE delegates celebrate winning the Expo 2020 bid for Dubai in Paris in 2013. Antoine Antoniol / Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VL33K2PBUSZMRI4MLYEVMAPW5E.jpg?smart=true&auth=d5a77ba8e78abd6aaf9b4ae4475ec28792bdf2a8dfc029d86d6f1d2eb6895d58&width=400&height=225)
Pope Francis arrives to lead a mass at Zayed Sport City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, 2019. It was the first papal visit to the country. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JJJLPH6R7S6ZLL2PJTHDW6DTCU.jpg?smart=true&auth=2b5adcf34baef3187282d82ea0d70c9fc7476db625584cc3205d474352e933f3&width=400&height=225)
Hundreds of thousands of people attended the mass. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RGA5K5YVSRXUOFSRV34ZVZWL3I.jpg?smart=true&auth=24633c2b376db8035b5e9c23782860885e50a92bf73050d663c190a3813962fb&width=400&height=225)
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces celebrate with staff at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre after Hope enters the orbit of Mars in February, 2021. Rashid Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Sheikh Khalifa declares start of Year of the 50th
Celebrations marking the Golden Jubilee will run from April 6 to March 31 next year
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The National
16 March, 2021
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