Who are the frontline heroes featured in Seeds of the Union?

Tributes paid to medics and essential workers on the front lines of the UAE's fight against Covid-19

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  Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, attends the 'Seeds of the Union' National Day show at Jubail Mangrove Park. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

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  Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, attend the 'Seeds of the Union' National Day show in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

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  A rotating cube was the centrepiece of the show, with images projected on to it. Courtesy: UAE National Day

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  Images are projected on to a rotating cube as part of the 'Seeds of the Union' National Day show held in Jubail Mangrove Park in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

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  Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, stands for the national anthem and sings its verses during the 'Seeds of the Union' National Day show. Courtesy: UAE National Day

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  Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, attends the 'Seeds of the Union' National Day show at Jubail Mangrove Park. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

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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, attend the 'Seeds of the Union' National Day show at Jubail Mangrove Park along with the Rulers of the emirates. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

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  Images of UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid, former Dubai Ruler, are shown during the 'Seeds of the Union' National Day show at Jubail Mangrove Park. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

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  The launch of the Soyuz rocket carrying the first Emirati astronaut is shown during the 'Seeds of the Union' National Day show at Jubail Mangrove Park. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

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  People take part in the 'Seeds of the Union' National Day show held in Jubail Mangrove Park in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Twitter

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  Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohamed, Ruler's Representative in Al Ain Region, left, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, attend the performance of ‘Seeds of the Union’ during the official 49th UAE National Day Celebrations at Jubail Mangrove Park. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

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  Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohamed, Ruler's Representative in Al Ain Region, watch the performance of ‘Seeds of the Union’ during the official 49th UAE National Day celebrations at Jubail Mangrove Park. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

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  Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior (R), arrives at the performance of ‘Seeds of the Union’ during the official 49th UAE National Day Celebrations at Jubail Mangrove Park. Seen with Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

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  Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, and other dignitaries, watch the performance of 'Seeds of the Union' during the official 49th UAE National Day celebrations at Jubail Mangrove Park. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

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  Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, right, and other dignitaries, watch the performance of ‘Seeds of the Union’ during the official 49th UAE National Day celebrations at Jubail Mangrove Park. Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

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  Sheikhs and dignitaries attend the ‘Seeds of the Union’ during the official 49th UAE National Day celebrations at Jubail Mangrove Park. Hamad Al Mansoori for the Ministry of Presidential Affairs

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  General view of the show ‘Seeds of the Union’ during the official 49th UAE National Day celebrations at Jubail Mangrove Park. Ismaeel Al Zaher / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

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  Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, and Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Sharjah, watch the performance of ‘Seeds of the Union’ during the official 49th UAE National Day celebrations at Jubail Mangrove Park. Hamad Al Kaabi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

The doctors, nurses, police and port workers helping to keep the UAE going throughout the Covid-19 pandemic were honoured during a show broadcast around the world on National Day.

Seeds of the Union, a show that celebrated the country's heritage and ambition paid special tribute to the country's front line workers for their dedication and selflessness since the outbreak.

The stories of seven people, of different nationalities and from around the Emirates were told. They were:

Tribute was also paid to almost a dozen more people including:

Dr Sawsan Salih, from Sudan, provided essential medical care throughout the pandemic while working a doctor in Ras Al Khaimah, despite experiencing great personal loss within her own family, organisers said.

Ahmed Salah Meligy, a volunteer at a quarantine hotel in Sharjah, worked tirelessly to support those who contracted the virus.

Dr David Simon, from Hungary, a Critical Care Consultant and Head of ICU at Mediclinic Al Ain Hospital, demonstrated empathy in the midst of the pandemic after contracting the virus himself.

Dr Reem Mohammed Fakhri, a dentist from Syria, calls the UAE her second homeland. When she saw the healthcare sector washed over by the tidal wave of the pandemic, she felt it was her duty to do more and quickly stepped up to join the nasal swab team.

Mosharraf Hussain Shaid from Bangladesh was a part of the team that disinfected all of Dubai. Despite missing the birth of his second daughter, he was honoured to be in the UAE fighting the pandemic and building a future for his family.

Yasser Hussain Al Ramadan, a 54-year-old paramedic from Syria, was the first in the line of defence. Despite being close to retirement age, the thought of quitting never crossed his mind, organiser said.

Matar Al Nuaimi, director general of Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and director of the Emergency and Disaster Management Division, mobilised a huge part of the UAE's response to the pandemic. After being struck down with Covid-19 himself, he continued working from a hospital bed in medical isolation for 20 days.

Col Thuraya Ali Al Hashemi, a clinical scientist and Director of the Medical Services Department at Abu Dhabi Police helped lead the fight against Covid-19 across all Abu Dhabi Police's facilities. Despite contracting the virus herself in the line of duty, she was not deterred.

Col Mohammed Al Khoury, Deputy of the Capital Police Department, co-ordinated Abu Dhabi's fast-paced response to keeping the public safe from what was to become the biggest public health crisis of our generation.