UAE leaders unveil memorial to founder of country

A memorial was opened in Abu Dhabi to the founder of the country, Sheikh Zayed ibn Sultan Al Nahyan, in honor of the commemoration of the year of Zayed in the UAE and the centennial of the leader of the nation.

At an official ceremony in Abu Dhabi, a Memorial was opened to the country's founder, a tribute to the late Sheikh Zayed ibn Sultan Al Nahyan.

In the center of the memorial is the so-called "Constellation", a monumental installation that forms the core of the composition dedicated to the year of Sheikh Zayed in connection with the centenary of the ruler’s birthday.

The work of the artist Ralph Helmik is a three-dimensional portrait of Sheikh Zayed. When viewing a portrait from different viewing platforms, its appearance changes, so each new meeting of the viewer with the ruler is not similar to the previous one.

The "constellation" consists of more than a thousand geometric figures, each of which is suspended on a cable. At night, these figures light up and shine like stars - just like in life, Sheikh Zayed serves as a guiding light for the people of the UAE.

The ceremony was held in the presence of members of the UAE royal family, ministers, dignitaries and VIPs gathered at the site on the Corniche promenade in Abu Dhabi.

The ceremony was marked by the performance of a choir of 40 people performing a laudatory ode to Sheikh Zayed and traditional songs, and a touching selection of Sheikh Zayed's performance of Ayal's traditional dance was also demonstrated at the festival.

The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed, said that the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed will forever remain in the hearts and minds of the sons of the nation.

"The memorial to the founder of the country will remind us of the achievements that our leader brought to the country and the sacrifices he made for this," the ruler said.

"Sheikh Zayd was a loyal servant of the homeland, and this imposes on us and future generations the responsibility to preserve his heritage, our homeland should continue to be a symbol of dignity and development."

Watch the video: New cultural landmark The Founders Memorial opens in Abu Dhabi (March 2024).