Heroes honoured in street and mosque names across UAE

ABU DHABI // The names and sacrifices of fallen Emirati heroes will be remembered for posterity in what has become a national move to rename streets and monuments in their honour.

From Khalifa Al Mubarak, the UAE Ambassador to France who was assassinated in 1984 outside his apartment in Paris, to the 46 brave men killed in a Houthi rocket attack on a weapons dump in Yemen’s Marib province, Rulers of the emirates are ensuring future generations carry memories of the ultimate sacrifices.

Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed, Ruler of Sharjah, ordered that a street in Al Noof be named after Jamal Al Muhairi, one of the Emiratis killed on the September 4 attack in Marib.

Jamal’s eldest son Majed described the comfort and honour the move brought to him and his family.

“It brings us great pride when the school bus drives us home and the other kids point to our father’s name,” Majed said. “I’m immensely proud of him.

Heroes’ names now also grace mosques, squares, civic centres and memorial monuments across the country .

A new hall at the culture, youth and community development centre in Fujairah has been called Al Shohadaa Hall – Martyrs’ Hall – after a unanimous vote at a recent staff meeting.

“This is the least we can do. Our soldiers have sacrificed their lives and this is part of our appreciation and pride,” said Sultan Malieh, the centre’s manager.