UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan raised the national flag at a ceremony at Abu Dhabi’s historic Qasr Al Hosn on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, to mark UAE Flag Day. Accompanied by the national anthem, the ceremony brought together 55 distinguished figures and leading talents from various fields, symbolising 55 years of the UAE’s union.

In a post on X, the UAE President said he was proud to raise the national flag at Qasr Al Hosn alongside the 55 participants. “On Flag Day, I had the honour of raising the UAE flag at Qasr Al Hosn alongside 55 distinguished individuals and talents from various fields, representing the years of our union. We pay tribute to the path established by Sheikh Zayed and the other Founding Rulers, while the people of this nation continue to write new chapters in its inspiring story and advance with ambition towards the future.” He added: “The people of this nation are our most valuable asset and the source of the UAE’s strength, pride and prosperity.”

According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the group’s participation reflected the UAE leadership’s commitment to nurturing talent and creativity, as well as the importance of human capital in the country’s future development. The participants expressed their pride and happiness at taking part in the national occasion and posed for group photographs with the UAE President at the end of the ceremony. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, also raised the UAE flag outside the Zayed National Museum.

Qasr Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi’s oldest historic building, has hosted flag-raising ceremonies featuring prominent figures in recent years, including Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi in 2023, outstanding students in 2024 and a group of retired officers in 2025.

Marking the occasion, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, wrote on X: “On Flag Day, we raise our flag with pride in what we have built and the achievements we have made, and with a pledge that our flag will always fly high, our glory will continually be renewed and our ambitions will know no limits.” He had earlier invited citizens, residents, government entities, companies, schools and universities across the UAE to raise the national flag at 11am on Tuesday as a symbol of unity and national solidarity.

UAE Flag Day is observed annually on November 3. The occasion was launched in 2013 on the initiative of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and commemorates the accession of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s second President, on November 3, 2004. He remained in office until his death in May 2022. The UAE will celebrate the 55th anniversary of its founding on Wednesday, December 2, during Eid Al Etihad, the country’s National Day.