For Your Information
UAE Martyrs’ Day
The Emirati soldiers who died in Yemen received
full military honours at Al Bateen Airport when
their bodies arrived. – Photo Credit WAM
E
arlier this year, in mid-August,
HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, President of the UAE,
declared that November 30th
each year will be observed as Martyrs’
Day, a national holiday.
Martyrs’ Day will mark a day for the
country to pay its respect to those
martyred and to celebrate the honour
and loyalty of its martyrs. Both Emiratis
and residents will join in recognising
the sacrifices that these brave men
made for their country.
Citizens and residents throughout the
UAE met the declaration of Martyrs’
Day with much gratitude and joy.
Martyrs’ Day is symbolic as it also
provides the families who have lost
loved ones with a sense of pride.
Upon the news of the announcement,
HH Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed
Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, ordered
that a monument be constructed
and inaugurated in the Emirate of
Sharjah on Martyrs’ Day. The location
of the monument was assigned to
Maliha road, near Sharjah Centre for
Space and Astronomy. Additionally,
it was ordered that a road in Sharjah
University City be renamed Martyrs’
Road.
Rym Ghazal, in his article, Martyrs’
Day A Fitting Tribute to UAE Heroes,
states that the first hero to die for the
UAE did so even before the country
was formed.
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According to Ghazal’s account, Salim
Suhail bin Khamis, died at the age of
20, after refusing to lower the Ras Al
Khaimah flag from the police station
that he was guarding. Salim was one
of six police officers stationed on
the island of Greater Tunb when it,
and Lesser Tunb, were invaded by
Iran before the UAE was founded on
December 2nd, 1971. Salim was buried
on the island he defended.
Operation Restoring Hope
On Friday, September 4, 2015, the UAE
was rocked with devastating news. The
country had lost 45 of its sons after a
Houthi missile hit an arms depot in the
Marib province, sparking explosions,
which claimed the lives of many
servicemen. Since then, the number
of Emirati soldiers who have died as a
result of the attack has risen to 54.
Other martyred servicemen have died
serving under Operation Restoring
Hope, prior to the huge loss of
September 4, 2015, in the months of
December 2014, June, July and August
2015.
Programmes & Initiatives
related to Martyrs’ Day:
• The establishment of a Martyrs
Family Affairs office at the Crown
Prince Court ordered by HH Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and
Deputy Supreme Commander of
Class Time
the Armed Forces.
• A museum dedicated to the memory
of the soldiers. The museum will
include a special martyrs archive
with information documenting
the biographies, career and other
relevant information for each soldier.
• A Martyrs’ Square and memorial in
Al Alam Park, Ajman, at the request
of the Ruler, HH Sheikh Humaid bin
Rashid Al Nuaimi.
• A mosque to be built by Dubai
Customs in honour of the ‘Martyrs
of the Emirates.’
• Emirates
Post
will
prepare
commemorative stamps for the
soldiers who died during Operation
Restoring Hope in Yemen.
• The creation of Martyrs’ City as
issued in a directive from HH Sheikh
Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of
Umm Al Quwain. In addition to this,
HH Sheikh Saud also instructed
that a memorial be built with the
area surrounding it being named
Martyrs’ Square.
• An increase in local organisations
donating to the Yemen: We Care
Campaign, which was launched
under the orders of HH Sheikh
Khalifa, Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid and Sheikh Mohammed bin
Zayed.
The leadership of the country has
been very active in paying tributes
to and supporting the families of the
martyred servicemen.