Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has said the UAE can be very proud of its achievements.
At 11.30am, 50 years ago, the UAE flag was raised for the first time. Since then, the Emirates has gone through enormous change in all aspects of development, from its burgeoning economic sector to its increasingly diverse and growing society.
Marking the Golden Jubilee on Thursday, Sheikh Mohamed said the nation could look forward to the future with "ambition and determination".
"On our 50th UAE National Day, we take immense pride in our country’s achievements and look to the future with a renewed sense of unity, hope, ambition and determination," he said.
"May our nation’s founding fathers rest in peace and may God bless the UAE and its people with happiness and wellbeing."
In a personal letter to the nation on Wednesday, Sheikh Mohamed said the country had overcome huge challenges in the past 50 years and praised its "indomitable will to succeed".
