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.
