The UAE's National Day is just around the corner, with citizens and residents encouraged to come together and celebrate 51 years since the founding of the Emirates.
Several official celebrations are set to take place and employees from the public and private sectors will have days off work.
Here is all you need to know about the public holiday.
When is the UAE's National Day?
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Kholoud Sharafi, brand designer from Tinkah who worked on the branding on the UAE’s 50th National Day executive team. All photos: Year of the 50th -
Hatta, where the official celebration for the UAE's Golden Jubilee, will take place on Thursday. -
A celebratory show will take place on a floating stage on the waters of the Hatta dam. -
The event from Hatta will be broadcast around the world but tickets are available from UAE National Day website. -
Shaikha Al Kethi and Es Devlin are artistic directors from the Year of the 50th Celebrations executive team. -
Saeed Al Suwaidi, head of research from Bani & Al Culture, a research agency that focuses on culture, art and creativity, helped study the history of the UAE in preparation for the show. -
Mohammed Al Ahmed, the music composer from the 50th National Day executive team. -
Year of the 50th logo.
The UAE's National Day is celebrated on December 2 every year.
This year, National Day is a Friday, the end of the working week for most in the UAE.
It is preceded by Commemoration Day, which is on November 30, but is typically held on December 1. The day is dedicated to those who lost their lives serving the country.
The UAE government has announced nationwide public holidays for the public and private sectors for Commemoration Day and National Day.
This means many employees across the country will receive two days off, beginning on Thursday, December 1, for Commemoration Day, followed by a public holiday to mark National Day on Friday, December 2.
As December 3 and 4 are a weekend, many people will be treated to a four-day break from work.
Why does the UAE celebrate National Day?
The UAE celebrates National Day to commemorate the formation of the country in 1971.
The holiday marks the day that six emirates bound together to form the UAE, with Ras Al Khaimah joining as the seventh emirate the following year.
UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, led efforts to unite the emirates and became the first president.
His son, Sheikh Khalifa, served as president 2004 until his death in May.
This year will mark the first time that President Sheikh Mohamed will oversee National Day as leader, having been elected this year.
This year marks 51 years since the country’s foundation, an event that takes place against the backdrop of significantly relaxed Covid-19 restrictions.
What events are planned for National Day 2022?
Preparations are gathering pace for this year's showpiece ceremony, with details of the show set to be revealed closer to the time.
The official organising committee — led by the team that put together the Emirates' landmark Golden Jubilee event last year — is inviting government departments, private companies, schools and other organisations to download a special National Day kit, which will include the brandmark of the celebrations.
It will be made available on the National Day website and more information will be posted on social media platforms.
What happened last year?
Last year, the country celebrated its Golden Jubilee and huge celebrations took place.
The official 50th National Day celebration took place in Hatta, the Dubai exclave that is home to some of the country’s most stunning landscapes, including the Hajar Mountains and Hatta Dam.
The show took place on a floating stage within a lake built in the middle of the dam, with light displays, water projections and fireworks designed around the theme of the relationship between the Emirati people and nature.
Elsewhere, there were several firework displays and events across the Emirates, including at Expo 2020 Dubai.
This article was originally published on November 14, 2021
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- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
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The flights
Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.
The trip
Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- 600-seat auditorium
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Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
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Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
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1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
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Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
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China |
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UAE |
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4. |
Japan |
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Norway |
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Canada |
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Singapore |
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Australia |
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Saudi Arabia |
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Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
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Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
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Daniella Weiss and Nachala
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Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
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Day 3, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Just three balls remained in an exhausting day for Sri Lanka’s bowlers when they were afforded some belated cheer. Nuwan Pradeep, unrewarded in 15 overs to that point, let slip a seemingly innocuous delivery down the legside. Babar Azam feathered it behind, and Niroshan Dickwella dived to make a fine catch.
Stat of the day - 2.56 Shan Masood and Sami Aslam are the 16th opening partnership Pakistan have had in Tests in the past five years. That turnover at the top of the order – a new pair every 2.56 Test matches on average – is by far the fastest rate among the leading Test sides. Masood and Aslam put on 114 in their first alliance in Abu Dhabi.
The verdict Even by the normal standards of Test cricket in the UAE, this has been slow going. Pakistan’s run-rate of 2.38 per over is the lowest they have managed in a Test match in this country. With just 14 wickets having fallen in three days so far, it is difficult to see 26 dropping to bring about a result over the next two.
