We don’t get a day off for this holiday, but it’s still very cool…

Much of the country is currently adorned in red, white, black and green, in celebration of UAE Flag Day.

What is Flag Day? The day is a national campaign that was launched in 2013 by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, to honour the country’s past, present and future.

 

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ALSO READ: 10 of our favourite photos & videos from UAE Flag Day 2017

Flag Day is usually celebrated on November 3, the anniversary of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan becoming the president of the UAE in 2004, but this year it is on November 1.

While Flag Day isn’t a public holiday (no days off work – sorry guys), it’s still a very special occasion. All government departments throughout the country were asked to raise the UAE flag for the day. There are flags all over the place – in shopping malls, on people’s houses and cars.

For the last three years, Dubai’s Kite Beach has transformed into a stunning Flag Garden, with thousands of flags in the sand, and this year is no different. When viewed from above, the flags create the face of President Sheikh Khalifa.

 

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What do the UAE flag colours mean, anyway?

According to an official guide: “Red symbolises the sacrifices of previous generations who laid the foundations for the union… green symbolises growth, prosperity and cultural renaissance… white displays the nation’s charitable contributions and support for security and peace in the world… while black reflects the strength of Emiratis, and their rejection of injustice and extremism.”

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