Today the United Arab Emirates ‎University celebrated the UAE ‎Flag Day at the invitation of H. H. ‎Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al ‎Maktoum, Vice President and ‎Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, ‎‎ may God protect him . Our ‎celebration honors the nation s ‎flag as our symbol of pride. ‎

The Flag Day ceremony was held ‎at the University campus and was ‎attended by H.E. Zaki Anwar ‎Nusseibeh, Chancellor of the ‎UAEU and Cultural Adviser to H.H. ‎the President of the UAE; ‎Professor Mohammad Hassan Ali, ‎Acting Provost; Professor Ahmed ‎Murad, Associate Provost for ‎Research; Professor Aisha Al ‎Dhaheri, Associate Provost for ‎Student Affairs; College Deans; ‎and faculty, administrative staff, ‎and students.‎

His Excellency told the assembly ‎that "On December 1, 1971, the ‎late Sheikh Zayed left Al Manhal ‎Palace before dark and spent the ‎evening in Al Samih Camp in the ‎middle of the open desert. At the ‎dawn of December 2, he was ‎driving towards Dubai to join the ‎leaders of the 7 Emirates. They ‎signed a provisional constitution ‎that legally formed the United ‎Arab Emirates. Moments later ‎Sheikh Zayed, as the President of ‎the newest country in the world, ‎was witness to the first raising of ‎its national flag.‎

He explained that "Our celebration ‎of the flag today is an expression ‎of our love for our nation and an ‎affirmation of our loyalty to our ‎leadership. Our leadership has ‎worked continuously since the ‎birth of the UAE to create a ‎society of happiness, love, ‎fraternity, and tolerance. This is a ‎society in which a bright future is ‎secured for all citizens and ‎residents".‎

His Excellency offered his ‎congratulations to the leadership ‎of the UAE on this occasion, ‎which also coincides with the ‎anniversary of the accession to ‎the Presidency of H.H. Sheikh ‎Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He ‎said, "May God preserve our wise ‎leadership for the UAE people. ‎We affirm that from this place ‎over which the flag of our nation is ‎flying, we will continue to make ‎every possible effort in advancing ‎science, innovation, and research ‎and in preparing the leaders of our ‎nation. We do this to support our ‎civil society, our progress, and our ‎leadership in all matters of human ‎affairs".‎