Year-long celebrations to mark UAE's Golden Jubilee

PLANNING BEGINS: Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and Mohammad Al Gergawi at a meeting at the Expo headquarters in Dubai. - Wam

The UAE's Golden Jubilee Committee, chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has held its first meeting at the Expo 2020 headquarters in Dubai.
Preparations for the celebration of the country's 50th founding anniversary were the key focus of the discussion. Committee members set a comprehensive plan for year-long events and initiatives that will highlight the UAE's accomplishments over the past five decades.
"The Golden Jubilee celebrations aim to acknowledge the past and prepare for the future across new areas of development, empowering Emiratis and promoting the nation's advancement, while involving all members of the UAE community," Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed said during the meeting.
He noted that the committee is working on an integrated agenda that encompasses various initiatives that reflect the love of the homeland and tell the UAE's global success story.
"Celebrating the UAE's Golden Jubilee next year is a salute to our forefathers and their vision of the Union's promising future," he said.
The significant milestone also reinforces the UAE's reputation as "a model of hope, tolerance, benevolence, and respect for the other, building bridges of human fraternity globally", as described by Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, vice-chairperson of the Golden Jubilee Committee.
She said: "This model is built on the vision of Zayed and his brothers, the founding fathers, who wanted to form a united front that rises to each challenge with ambition and drive that knows no boundaries."
Five main axes
The meeting agenda covered five main axes: Presenting general tasks and objectives of the committee and its working mechanisms over the next two years; coordination and cooperation mechanisms between federal and local government bodies; mechanisms to involve the private sector as major partners in celebrations; assigning a working group to prepare local and international media plans; and assigning a working group to prepare an integrated agenda involving the international community.
Committee members also exchanged talks on how the UAE's embassies can take part in the celebrations.  They also discussed the need to map out the country's accomplishments since its formation and preserve archival material for future generations.
It also seeks to involve local and international media in narrating the UAE's march across its 50-year journey.
Formed in December last year, the committee is tasked with putting together the Emirates' Golden Jubilee celebrations.
The meeting was attended by Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future; Dr Abdul Rahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention; Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development; Dr Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of the National Media Council; and other top officials.