Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed offers Mother's Day tribute

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi honoured women for the 'sacrifices' they have made to support their children

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has sent Ramadan greetings to UAE citizens and residents via text. Courtesy: Ministry of PresidentShow more

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed described women as "our inspiration and strength" during a Mother's Day tribute.

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces took to Twitter on Saturday to acknowledge the selfless efforts of mothers across the world.

Mother's Day is held on March 21 each year in the UAE and Sheikh Mohamed was keen to share the celebrations with his millions of followers on the social media platform.

He highlighted the important role played by mothers in raising children.

"To mothers everywhere, we thank all of you for the sacrifices you made, and the values you instilled in our hearts," Sheikh Mohamed said.

"Let us remember the mothers who are no longer among us, and honour those who still are. You will forever be our inspiration and our strength."

Sheikh Mohamed said the date was an opportunity to thank mothers all over the world for the crucial role they continue to play in society.

"On Mother's Day, we pay homage and honour to the Emirati mother and the mothers of the martyrs, the symbol of patriotism and generosity, and to all mothers in the world," he wrote.

"The mother was and will continue to be the source of the original values, the maker of men and the breeder of generations."

There have been plenty of reasons to celebrate mothers in recent weeks.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, offered his own warm words on Twitter.

“On Mother's Day I would like to tell everyone; take care of your mothers, keep them healthy, stick to medical instructions with them, be with them at home and spend beautiful times. Take care of them because they are the most valuable thing we have in this world.”

Mothers have been coming up with inventive ways to keep their little ones entertained after nurseries and schools were closed as part of efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

One parent told The National they had introduced a good behaviour chart for their son, rewarding him with cash prizes if he reached daily targets, while another said her two daughters, aged 12 and six, were now taking a hands-on role in the family business, showing early signs of becoming entrepreneurs themselves.

Mother's Day is celebrated across the world on different days.

In the United Kingdom, mothers will be honoured on Sunday, March 22, but in many countries, the day is celebrated in May.

March 21 was set aside as the special day for mothers in the Middle East several decades ago.

Egypt first declared March 21 as Mother's Day in 1956 and other nations in the Arab world soon followed suit.