UAE National Day: Official show details announced; dates, venue, events revealed

The official ceremony for the UAE National Day will be held at Expo City, Dubai, organisers announced on Tuesday. Also called the UAE Union Day, the national occasion is marked on December 2 every year to celebrate the unification of the Emirates in 1971.

Expo City — which is also hosting climate change conference COP28 from November 30 to December 12 — will narrate the country’s sustainability story during the ceremony. The Emirates is marking 2023 as the Year of Sustainability, and the December 2 function will reflect this.

Emiratis and expatriates will have the chance to attend the public ceremony from December 5 to 12.

More information on the tickets will be announced soon.

“The official ceremony will feature innovative technologies and breathtaking projections, where it will portray the UAE’s rich heritage and the connecting threads of unity and sustainability across history, symbolised through various elements of Sadu weaving,” organisers said in a statement on Tuesday.

Sadu is a traditional weaving technique practised by Bedouins for soft furnishings and decorative accessories. It was inscribed on the UNESCO’s list of ‘intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding’ in 2011.

“Starting at the roots of Emirati culture and heritage, the show will illustrate the legacy of the ancestors and the relationship between tradition and technology, reflecting the shared commitment to nurturing and preserving our interconnected world,” said organisers.

The show will feature performances and storytelling that will shed light on the UAE’s vision of a sustainable future shared with the world — in “climate adaptation, overcoming challenges through innovation, and collective action”.

The official ceremony will be broadcast live on December 2 on all local TV channels, as well as on the official website.

The UAE puts on epic shows to celebrate its Union Day every year. In 2021, Dubai’s Hatta glowed with 3D projections, light displays, and drone fireworks; while last year, an Etihad Rail passenger train chugged its way into the show.

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