Eid Al Etihad show: 53rd National Day performance pays tribute to Sheikh Tahnoon

Dazzling drone show and camel train illuminates spectacular backdrop of Jebel Hafeet

Jebel Hafeet mountain in Al Ain provided the backdrop for the Eid Al Etihad show. Pawan Singh / The National

Seven chapters told the story of UAE history and heritage in a spectacular display that featured tributes and technology in a celebration of national success, marking the 53rd Eid Al Etihad with a show at Jebel Hafeet National Park in Al Ain.

President Sheikh Mohamed along with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Rulers of the Emirates, witnessed the ceremony designed to inspire those who call the UAE home to follow in the footsteps of the ancestors that built the country of today.

With the stunning backdrop of Jebel Hafeet, the stage was set to highlight the importance of the natural world and how it is entwined with the steady building of the nation.

Accompanied by music from the London Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring 33 Emirati musicians alongside 66 international players, the rich heritage of the UAE was explored in a 40-minute show. Complete with a train of camels, more than 10,000 people of 81 nationalities were involved in the production.

Leading star

To set the scene in 2,500BC, the opening chapter focused on Thuraya, a constellation that acted as a guide for travellers.

Stars once played an important role in the way tribesmen predicted weather patterns using the Duroor system, by which navigators would track the movements of specific stars to synchronise their activities with nature’s cycles.

The Thuraya star cluster would rise in May at the start of the hot season before disappearing from view in November.

The second chapter explored the evolution of knowledge and engineering to bring water to arid deserts. It showed how the first falaj was created, a rudimentary irrigation channel, transforming barren landscapes into a lush oasis of life.

Another key moment in UAE history was marked in chapter three, with the early development of gestures and communication. It also demonstrated how communities were built around the palm tree, with dates offering a rich source of nutrients and building materials.

Camels began to play a more prominent role in trade and exploration, expanding the borders of well-established communities.

The story moved forward into the 20th century, with chapter four reliving the early influence of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It revealed how his experiences as a child would bring him the wisdom and values he would harness in the years ahead, shaping the future of the country.

Founding Father

The young Sheikh Zayed and his mother moved to Al Ain in 1926 and he was the Ruler's Representative in Al Ain region from 1946-1966, before becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi.

A focus of the chapter was a tribute to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed, who passed away in May and who Sheikh Zayed had mentored in his early years. As the narrative progressed, the show moved towards the signing of the Union Pledge on July 18, 1971, that led to the founding of the UAE five months later.

The audience heard the voice of Ahmed Khalifa Al Suwaidi – who served as personal representative of the president and was the UAE's first minister of foreign affairs – reading the union proclamation for the first time on December 2,1971, and a quote from the late Sheikh Zayed: “This country requires a strong-willed army, an army that understands what it is, present and the future.”

In chapter six, the show took a glance into the future. The role of innovation has become a cornerstone of Emirati life, with the country becoming an AI and technology hub.

Sustainability

There was a reference to sustainability and a focus on learning from the mistakes of the past by development with the environment in mind.

Organisers said the modular stage used for the performance was to be recycled and reused, while 3D-printed artificial coral reefs are being planted around the coastline to restore marine environments damaged by development.

Fireworks did not feature, with a light display instead involving an intricate fleet of drones bringing to life the story of the UAE.

In the closing chapter, hundreds of brightly dressed schoolchildren took to the stage to present a traditional Harbiya performance, an Emirati dance rooted in Bedouin culture and known as a favourite of the late Sheikh Tahnoon.