AL AIN // The UAE Cabinet said prayers for fallen servicemen at a meeting in Al Ain on Sunday at Qasr Al Muwaiji, the birthplace of the President, Sheikh Khalifa.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, promised that the country would be loyal to those who sacrificed their lives for it, speaking at the meeting ahead of Commemoration Day on Monday.
“We are meeting today in the historic Qasr Al Muwaiji, which has maintained the values of the UAE for over a century, a witness to many of the crucial events in the history of the nation, and a symbol of the path of our leader, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” said Sheikh Mohammed.
“Qasr Al Muwaiji was the majlis for residents and visitors alike to look into their affairs and discuss the means to improve their lives. Our meeting today is evidence of its significance and value in the minds of Emiratis, and that will always remain, as it was a place for making crucial decisions and launching initiatives that will improve the lives of the people and ensure a decent life.”
The Cabinet members toured the building, built more than a century ago during the reign of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa the Great in the early 1900s.
Sheikh Khalifa was born and raised in the palace, helping his father, the late Sheikh Zayed, while the latter was the Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain. Qasr Al Muwaiji opened this month after restorations to showcase the history of the place and Sheikh Khalifa’s life and achievements.
Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, were also at the meeting. Sheikh Mansour said November 30 was a day to express strong solidarity with the people of the UAE and its unity with the leadership’s willingness to make sacrifices to promote the country’s stature.
Commemoration Day was an occasion to renew allegiance to the homeland and loyalty to the leadership, he said, and to appreciate the martyrs’ sacrifices, deepening the meanings of sacrifice in the hearts of generations. It was an incarnation of love, loyalty and belonging to the homeland, he said.
“Today, we all stand as the sons of the UAE to uphold the values of giving and fulfilment in recognition of the constellation of heroes who have made generous sacrifices of blood and precious lives for the redemption of the homeland and the nation, and in defence of the principles of legality and the values of truth and justice,” Sheikh Mansour said.
“On this day, we express – the Government and people – great pride in the decision taken by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to nominate the 30th of November of each year as Commemoration Day, to commemorate all the heroes who sacrificed their lives while performing their duty in the country and abroad.
“Long live the UAE, a haven of love and peace, compassion and glory. On this day we praise the eternal memory of all martyrs, sending greetings and appreciation to the mothers of the martyrs, their children and their families.”
Commemoration Day was a historic day for the sons and daughters of the nation and one that mothers of fallen heroes and their families would remember forever, said Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation.
The decision of the President to establish a day of remembrance on November 30 was an expression of great honour by the leadership for those who gave their lives to defend the homeland, said Sheikha Fatima, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.
Emirati women were dedicated to serving their homeland and would offer their lives for their country and should be proud of the heroes and precious sons who sacrificed their lives for the UAE. The leadership’s promotion of human rights and women’s rights in particular encouraged Emirati women to raise their children with love for the nation and readiness to defend it, said Sheikha Fatima, in a speech ahead of Commemoration Day.
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