Flag Day is a celebration of our values

On November 3, the third flag day will be held. Across the country, schools and workplaces will gather at 11am to raise the flag and come together to remember, contemplate and celebrate what it stands for. Flag Day is a day when all of us who live in the UAE, both Emiratis and expatriates, can come together and take pride in what we have.
On past occasions, Flag Day has evoked mixed emotions in some citizens and residents. The day was created to mark the swearing-in of Sheikh Khalifa as President - tomorrow will mark 12 years since his accession - but, of course, that also reminds people of the loss of the country's founder Sheikh Zayed, who preceded him as president. Last year on social media, some expressed sadness at his loss, while others expressed pride in the country he built and bequeathed. Similar expressions will no doubt take place this week.
That is the best way to mark Flag Day, as a way to remember the values the flag stands for. One is unity. The unity of the seven emirates, of course, but also the unity of the peoples of the region. The country has sacrificed blood and treasure to liberate Yemen and it has done so because of a belief in the importance of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our neighbours and brothers.
But unity also means the people of the country, citizens and expatriates alike, standing together. There is a cohesion to the UAE, despite its make-up from most countries. Flag Day is an opportunity to look around and see what things bind us and hold us together, in one country.
It also reminds us of another value that the flag represents - tolerance. The UAE is remarkable in its prosperity, but it is also remarkable in how easily many different nationalities live and work together and start families and businesses together. That is a rare quality in the world today and one that is worth celebrating.
The flag also represents the values of the past and the ambitions of the future. Raise the flag as high as the nation's ambition, read a tweet this week from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
The values of the past will decide the direction of the future, and by coming together at the same time, across these seven emirates, we can celebrate the journey that has brought us here - and the direction we will take forward.