The UAE will address Commemoration Day on Wednesday to pay tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in defence of their country. The poignant event is observed every November 30 to honour armed forces members who died in the line of duty.
Commemoration Day is held every year to recognise the dedication and sacrifices of the UAE’s military and civilian service people, and to honour those who lost their lives while serving the country
President Sheikh Mohamed has paid homage to the country's military, who he hailed as a "source of pride" for the Emirates. He pledged that the UAE's leadership would continue to support their loved ones.
“We promise our honourable martyrs that their sacrifices will remain immortal in the memory of generations and a source of pride,” Sheikh Mohamed said in a message carried by state news agency Wam on Tuesday. “Their children, families and loved ones will remain a responsibility that rests on our shoulders. “It is the homeland's obligation to look after them, and it is the state's responsibility to look after them.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said that on Commemoration Day, the country’s leaders and people celebrate the memory of the martyrs and remember their sacrifices.
“Today, we commemorate the nation’s martyrs and show our appreciation for their sacrifices to defend the country’s freedom, security and stability,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
President praises Sheikh Khalifa
The late President Sheikh Khalifa introduced Commemoration Day in 2015 to commemorate Salem Suhail bin Khamis, who died on November 30, 1971 while fighting Iranian forces on the island of Greater Tunb.
“We recall with full praise and appreciation my brother, the deceased of the homeland, Sheikh Khalifa, may God have mercy on him, who directed that November 30 of each year be designated as a day to commemorate our martyrs who wrote with their pure blood the greatest pages of sacrifice and valour, and ascended the highest ranks of honour, in defence of the state The Union,” the President said.
Sheikh Mohamed called on future generations to be inspired by their “integrity and dedication”.
“We call on the youth and rising generations of this country to adopt the noble value of martyrdom, to emulate the sacrifices of the martyrs, and to take their example of work ethic, dedication to duty, and integrity in learning that the martyrs exemplified in their sacrifices,” he said.
“The UAE of the future can only be built through hard work and sacrifice if we dream, plan, and work diligently.”
Honouring lives lost
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, said the deeds of the UAE's heroic martyrs will remain entrenched in the memory of present and future generations.
“On this day, we, the children of this land, commemorate the memory of our fathers and brothers, the heroes who sacrificed their precious lives to defend the nation and its sovereignty. We ask Allah Almighty to grant them mercy and protect and ensure serenity for their families, who are receiving the significant support of the nation, headed by President Sheikh Mohamed.
