Overview
- The UAE president announced the declaration on his official X account Wednesday, designating January 7 as a yearly national occasion called Zayed the Founder Day.
- The presidency described the day as a way to celebrate Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s life and to “transform wisdom into action” by keeping his values of unity, generosity and tolerance alive.
- Senior officials, including the vice president, endorsed the move on social media and framed it as a renewal of the founding narrative that led to the UAE’s creation in 1971.
- Sheikh Zayed is credited with uniting the emirates and directing major investments in education, health care and infrastructure that shaped the modern UAE, a legacy highlighted by institutions such as the Zayed National Museum.
- The formal observance will add an annual national ritual to the UAE’s civic calendar and is likely to shape state-led commemorations, school programs and public messaging that teach his leadership and development model to new generations.