The Emirates News Agency reported that H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region, raised the UAE flag at Al Dhafra Fort on November 3, 2026, during a ceremony that included the national anthem. The event took place in the presence of inspiring families, community contributors and several People of Determination from the Al Dhafra region. Sheikh Hamdan affirmed the flag’s embodiment of unity, belonging and loyalty to the nation and its leadership, according to the official account.
UAE Flag Day has been observed annually on November 3 since a 2015 directive from H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who called for flags to be raised nationwide at 11:00 a.m. The occasion precedes National Day on December 2, which commemorates the 1971 federation when the flag was first hoisted. A Government Communication Office documentary from 2017 explained that the flag design by Abdullah Mohammed Al Maeena was chosen from 1,030 competition entries.
Al Dhafra Fort was built in 2017 in traditional defensive style by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi to function as a cultural gateway and museum for the region. The site offers details on historic forts and watchtowers constructed by the Bani Yas tribe to safeguard oases and settlements in Liwa Oasis. The Al Dhafra region accounts for around 80 percent of the UAE’s oil reserves, a publication from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi indicated.
Similar flag-raising ceremonies occurred across the UAE on the same date, with H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan performing the rite at Qasr Al Muwaiji in Al Ain. H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan raised the flag at the Founder’s Memorial in Abu Dhabi, where he described the day as one of loyalty and belonging that honours the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. These parallel events, all reported by the Emirates News Agency, underscore the nationwide scope of the commemoration.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed emphasised that holding the ceremony at the historic Al Dhafra Fort connects present generations to the foundations laid by the UAE’s Founding Fathers. The observance renews the commitment of citizens and residents to preserve national achievements and pursue further development under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The flag serves as a continuing symbol of sovereignty, dignity and the union’s progress.
