The United Arab Emirates will mark a new annual national occasion every January 7, after President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced Zayed the Founder Day on Wednesday.
State media described the day as a way to honour the legacy of the nation’s Founding Father and the values that continue to guide its progress. It adds a new date to a national calendar already full of commemorations of the country’s formation.
Within hours, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, reacted on his official account on X. He said marking the day each January 7 would be a celebration of the country’s unity and federation, and a tribute to the architect of its development and a source of inspiration for generations.
Addressing the late Sheikh Zayed directly, he said the memory of the Founder would be honoured in every corner of the UAE. The coverage framed the occasion as one through which future generations would carry forward Sheikh Zayed’s vision, compassion and lasting legacy.
The man behind the occasion
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan took the leadership of Abu Dhabi in 1966. That year, on August 6, marked the start of what many Emiratis regard as a new era for the region. He went on to become the first President of the federation when the emirates united in 1971. He died in 2004, though official tributes still speak of his presence in national life.
His memory has been formally commemorated before. The Founder’s Memorial, a permanent national tribute in Abu Dhabi, was opened to coincide with the Year of Zayed, a national year of commemoration marking 100 years since his birth. Both initiatives were tied to a particular anniversary or place. The new occasion is different because it recurs every year.
What has not yet been announced
Early reports did not say how the day will be observed. They did not say whether it will be a public holiday or whether a programme of official events will accompany it. Those details had not been published at the time of writing. The Emirates Times will update this report when official guidance is released.
Timing and national mood
The announcement comes less than a week before November 3. On Tuesday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid called on citizens and residents to raise the flag high that day. Taken together, the two moments point to a renewed emphasis on national symbols and shared history in the UAE’s public life.
Why it matters
For a country where most residents are expatriates, national occasions do more than fill the calendar. They give a diverse population a common reference point. A day devoted to the Founder, tied to the language of unity and federation, signals that the UAE’s leadership wants that story told to each new generation, whether Emirati or long-term resident.
The date also builds a bridge between past and future. Emirati children in school, young professionals and newcomers who arrived this year will all encounter the same annual moment. Occasions of this kind tend to shape how a country remembers itself, and this one has now been written into the national year.
There will be practical questions in the weeks ahead. Schools, employers and government departments will want to know how to plan around January 7. Cultural institutions may prepare exhibitions or programmes. Residents will be waiting for the official word on timing and arrangements.
For now, the message from the UAE’s two most senior leaders is the same. The country’s story begins with Zayed, and it will be told every year on January 7.
