A CELEBRATION OF UAE'S UNITY, VISION

Bold leadership and a deep belief in shared destiny continue to drive the nation forward

- BY ASHFAQ AHMED | Managing Editor

Eid Al Etihad, celebrated every year on December 2, is more than a national holiday for the UAE. It is a moment that captures the spirit of a nation born from unity, strengthened by resilience and propelled by a shared vision for the future.

At 54 years, the occasion remains a powerful reminder of the historic moment in 1971 when the emirates united under one flag, a moment that was achieved through bold leadership, decisive choices and a deep belief in a shared destiny.

Today, the UAE stands as one of the world's most admired success stories, a nation synonymous with safety, stability, opportunity and ambition. And at the heart of that story lies Etihad — Union — the idea that transformed seven small emirates into a global symbol of progress.

A Union

In the decades before 1971, the emirates were known as the Trucial States, protected by Britain but politically fragmented. When Britain announced in 1968 that it would withdraw from the Gulf, uncertainty gripped the region. But for the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, this moment was not a setback, it was the opportunity of a century.

Believing deeply in unity, shared culture and collective destiny, Sheikh Zayed began working with Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the then Ruler of Dubai, to create something unprecedented: a federation built on cooperation, stability and a common purpose.