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Commemoration Day
Also called	Martyrs' Day
Observed by	United Arab Emirates
Type	National holiday
Significance	Remembrance of fallen soldiers
Observances	A minute's silence on 30 November, and a public holiday on 1 December
Begins	30 November
Ends	1 December
Date	30 November
Next time	30 November 2025 (2025-11-30)
Frequency	Annual
First time	2015; 9 years ago (2015)
Started by	Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Commemoration Day, previously known as Martyrs' Day (Arabic: يوم الشهيد yawm ash-shahiid), is a national holiday in the United Arab Emirates recognizing the sacrifices and dedication of Emirati martyrs who have given their life in the field of civil, military and humanitarian service. The day is marked annually on 30th of November, but observed with a public holiday on the 1st of December. It was in 2015, when the late His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, declared the day as Martyrs Day in honor of those who sacrificed their lives for the country. The observance and public holiday were both previously held on 30th of November (pre-2019).

History

The first Emirati policeman to die was Salem Suhail bin Khamis Al Dahmani on 30 November 1971, during the reclamation of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by the Imperial Iranian Army shortly before the UAE’s formation. Al Dahmani led a six-member police force on Greater Tunb, when the island was invaded by Iran on the eve of the Federation. He refused to lower the flag of Ras Al Khaimah, and he was killed by the Iranian navy.

On 19 August 2015, the date of Al Dahmani's death was announced as Martyrs Day.

Martyrs timeline

The soldiers who fell during the First Gulf War (1990-1991) while liberating Kuwait are remembered alongside martyrs such as Saif Ghobash, a government minister who was assassinated in 1977, and Khalifa Mubarak, an Emirati ambassador who was assassinated in 1984. Others who have died in the line of duty will always be honoured.

"Operation Restoring Hope" in Yemen

UAE armed forces joined "Operation Restoring Hope" under the Saudi Arabia-led Arab alliance in 2015 to support the Aden-based government recognized by the Persian Gulf states. The number of UAE soldiers martyred in Yemen rose to 45. The UAE government announced a three-day mourning period from September 5, 2015, with flags to be flown at half-mast.

Commemorative and national ceremonies and events will be organised nationwide on December 1. All state institutions, nationals and non-nationals will be engaged to promote, mark and remember the values of sacrifice, dedication and loyalty, of the UAE citizens who sacrificed their lives in battles of heroism, dedication and national duty. The holiday will honour the heroes with nationwide remembrance to those who gave their souls for their homeland. The usual observance in UAE is that all institutions, facilities and all nationals and non-nationals will stand up for a 1-minute silence at 11 AM on 30th November every year. Many people will gather at places where the UAE flag is hoisted at half-mast, like at the Abu Dhabi Corniche and the Union House in Dubai. At 11:01 AM, the flag is raised to the top and the National Anthem "Ishy Bilady"

Tributes

Commemorating the UAE’s fallen heroes on November 30 every year from 2015 will be a tribute to UAE's heroes.

Wahat Al Karama (Arabic: واحة الكرامة), which is also known by its English translation Oasis of Dignity, is a war memorial and monument in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates located across Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to commemorate all Emiratis who were killed in the line of duty. The memorial was unveiled on the United Arab Emirates Commemoration Day on 1 December 2016. The memorial is composed of three structures: the leaning pillars, the pavilion of honor, and the memorial plaza. The names of all Emirati soldiers who were killed in duty are inscribed in the pavilion of honor.

Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah, ordered that a square be dedicated in honour of the servicemen. Building of a monument is proposed to honour those who died in the line of duty is to be inaugurated on Martyrs’ Day. Sharjah will be installing a martyrs’ monument on Maliha Road, near the Sharjah Centre for Space and Astronomy, and a road in Sharjah University City will be renamed Martyr’s Road.

A martyrs’ square and memorial will be built in Al Alam Park in Ajman.

The road linking the emirates of Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, has been renamed as 'Martyrs Street' or 'Shuhada Street' in Arabic, in memory of the martyrs as a tribute.

References

1. Hilton, Tommy (2022-11-29). "When is Commemoration Day 2022 and why is it celebrated in the UAE?". The National. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
2. "Commemoration Day: Digital Gravity Hails Sacrifices of Courageous Heroes on Martyrs Day". Digital Gravity. 2023-11-20. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
3. "Martyrs' Day holiday announced in UAE". GulfNews. 19 August 2015. Archived from the original on 20 August 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
4. Editorial, National (2015-08-20). "Fallen heroes deserve our appreciation". The National. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
5. ^ "Martyrs' Day a source of pride for mothers UAE's of fallen soldiers". thenational.ae. 19 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
6. "UAE announces Martyrs' Day, but why December 1?". Al Arabiya News Middle East english.alarabiya.net. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
7. ^ "Martyrs' Day a fitting tribute to UAE's heroes". thenational.ae. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
8. "3 days of mourning declared in UAE for martyrs in Yemen". GulfNews.com. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
9. "Khalifa declares Martyrs' Day; December 1 to be public holiday". emirates247.ae. 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
10. "Wahat Al Karama". abudhabiculture.ae. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
11. Al Nowais, Shireena (27 November 2018). "Abu Dhabi's war memorial is an 'oasis of dignity' for UAE's heroes". The National.
12. "Square in Sharjah to be dedicated to the UAE's fallen soldiers". thenational.ae. 19 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
13. "'Martyrs Street' launched between Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah". emirates247.com. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.

• UAE Commemoration Day 2018 to be marked on December 1 - Time Out Abu Dhabi

• Public holidays in the United Arab Emirates
• November observances
• Recurring events established in 2015
• Observances in the United Arab Emirates
• Emirati nationalism
• 2015 establishments in the United Arab Emirates
• Autumn events in the United Arab Emirates