In Photos: UAE Flag Day

In honor of the second annual UAE Flag Day, proud residents and businesses across the Emirates raised the national flag as one today, Nov. 3.

“We will hoist the flag at 12pm to send one message — we are not the emirates, we are UAE, the nation,” Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said in a tweet last Wednesday.

“The UAE flag is a symbol of our unity and our united hearts. It is a source of pride and a symbol for respecting our nation,” he added.

UAE Flag Day also marks the anniversary of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan‘s ascension to the presidency in 2004.

Here’s a roundup of some Instagram photos from Emiratis and UAE expats showing their respect throughout the day:

WE SAID THIS: Happy Flag Day, UAE!