November 28th, 2022: The Canadian University Dubai (CUD) community, together with Mr. Buti Saeed Al Ghandi, CUD Chancellor; Prof. Karim Chelli, CUD President & Vice-Chancellor and distinguished guests marked the United Arab Emirates 51st National Day 2022 together on November 28th, 2022 at CUD’s City Walk campus.
The event celebrated the 51st anniversary of the establishment of the UAE and the nation’s peace and prosperity, under the leadership of the UAE’s founding fathers and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
CUD’s celebrations centred around the long history and traditions of the UAE and its people. Dr. Rami El Khatib, Vice-President of Student Affairs said during his welcome speech, “It is with great honour that we celebrate the spirit of the union of the United Arab Emirates. UAE has achieved paramount success, both nationally and on the global stage. The federation created 51 years ago has advanced into a unified and prosperous nation, which is interconnected through a cohesive national spirit.”
The CUD community cherished the UAE National Anthem on piano by Shaima Jamal Alhai and in song with Haithm Tareq. The proceeding went on to honour the cultural aspects of Emirati society with poem recitals by Hessa Rahimi and Mohammed Al Kindi, student speech by Wadeema Al Qemzi and a presentation by CUD’s Emirati Society members. CUD’s music club and dance students graced the community with mesmerizing performances.
Event representatives, Ms. Kinza Khan, CUD Student Council member and Mr. Rashed Humaid Al Ghandi delivered the student speeches in both English and Arabic:
“Our country perfectly amalgamates the traditional and contemporary values of the East and the West, synchronizing a nation comprised of approximately 200 nationalities. The vision of the leaders of UAE have cultivated a spirit of independence, resourcefulness, perseverance, and hope. We are honoured to have embarked on astounding adventures in the UAE, through the dunes and diving to the depths of the gulf waters, now we have touched the peaks of the sky and orbited planets around us. We are transformed by the power of bold ambitions. We are unified by the spirit of our nation. Each one of us standing here today has an important role in the future of this country.”
The annual UAE National Day event brought students, faculty and staff together with the local community, to demonstrate their patriotism and to honour the traditions of the nation through art, music, drama, poetry and cuisine – which included a display of novelty vehicles, live Emirati music, a selection of traditional local food and souqs.
CUD expresses profound appreciation to the visionary leaders of this nation and extends gratitude to the whole CUD student body who collectively made the momentous event a success – with notable thanks to the event organizers, CUD’s Emirati Society.
The UAE National Day celebration was followed by a one-minute prayer on November 30th, 2022, in honour of recognizing the sacrifices and dedication of Emirati martyrs who have given their lives in service.
It was a memorable Commemoration Day and a celebratory UAE National Day at CUD, both filled with appreciation for the United Arab Emirates nation.
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