WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Diplomats at
the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Embassy in Washington, DC
celebrated the UAE's 50th National Day and Golden
Jubilee. The National Day event, a tribute to the UAE's five
decades as a nation, highlighted several milestones and
achievements of the Emirates since its foundation in 1971.
The Golden Jubilee celebration, underscored by the UAE's deep
relationship with the United
States (US) over the last five decades, was attended by
senior US government officials, Members of Congress, Ambassadors
and diplomats, business leaders and prominent members of the
Washington press corps. The event
was held at the iconic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts.
Distinguished guests included US Special Presidential Envoy for
Climate John Kerry, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, US Deputy Secretary of State
Wendy Sherman, CIA Director
Bill Burns, CIA Deputy Director
David Cohen, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense Dana Stroul,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Daniel
Benaim, US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking, Reps. Ted Deutch, Mike
Waltz and Ro Khanna and Ambassador Michael Herzog.
In his address to over 250 guests, UAE Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba paid homage to the late Sheikh
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan's voice
and vision of modernism to shape the country into a thriving
nation, one that is committed to peace, coexistence and respect for
all.
"Sheikh Zayed instilled the values of tolerance, inclusion and
solidarity that remain a pillar to our way of life," said
Ambassador Al Otaiba. "He knew that
the UAE's place in the world would be shaped by experiences and
values that made life in the desert possible: cooperation,
resilience and generosity."
During the event, the UAE Embassy also showcased a number
of Year of the
50th installations, initiatives and
exhibitions, including a photo exhibition, "50 Years in
Partnership," that was developed in cooperation with the US Embassy
in Abu Dhabi and tells the story
of the UAE's progress and its deep relations with the US.
For the Embassy's celebration, the Reach venue at the Kennedy
Center was transformed into an immersive experience of stunning
desert sands, Islamic architecture, and traditional Emirati designs
and visuals for those in attendance.
Guests were also treated to the Embassy's flagship Golden
Jubilee Project, 50 years | 50 faces, which captures the deep and
enduring relationship between the UAE and the US through 50 unique
personal stories. The project launched in October this year and
will run until March 2022. Many of
the unique stories were shown throughout the evening.
To date, 50 years | 50 faces has featured 15 short stories,
including the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, UAE Ambassador to the United States Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba, former NASA space scientist
Farouk Al Baz, comedian Steve Harvey and Emirati Ice hockey star
Fatima Al Ali.
"50 Years | 50 Faces captures some of the special 'moments' that
reflect aspects of the 50-year-old UAE-USA relationship, as told by individuals.
Their accounts are unique, personal and unexpected, and tell the
story of a friendship that has withstood the test of time," said
UAE Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba.
On the historical occasion of the UAE's
50th National Day, Ambassador Al Otaiba also congratulated UAE President His
Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al
Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander
of the UAE Armed Forces His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, rulers of all the
other Emirates, and the people of the UAE.
Contact:
Lamiyae Jbari
ljbari@uaeembassy-usa.org
202 243 2464
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SOURCE Embassy of the United Arab
Emirates