Expat claims to have spent Dh105k to install 6km UAE flag

Abu Dhabi - It took nearly 30 people to stitch the flag together within 30 days.

An Afghani salesman has installed a 6km-long flag in Abu Dhabi to mark the UAE's 47th National Day. The expat claimed that the flag, which was put up against a wall near Shahama on Saturday, is the longest in the UAE.

It took nearly 30 people to stitch the flag together within 30 days. For the installment, some 50 workers turned up to help paste the flag against the wall. They started the process at 6am and finished in the evening.

Ibrahim Mohammad Saeed said that he paid about Dh105,000 to make this project a success, including covering costs for the entire fabric. He earns just a Dh5,000 salary working as a sales representative, however, he borrowed from his father and friends to make his dream of "giving back to the country" come true. It was a project that was in the making for nearly two years.

"We worked day and night to complete this flag. My father has been in this country for 48 years and we wanted to show how much we love this nation," Saeed told Khaleej Times. "There was no better day than National Day to showcase this masterpiece and honour the special anniversary of this country."

There were several challenges Saeed faced while completing the flag, including ensuring that proper fabric was purchased and keeping his staff happy. Though, the most complicated part was actually putting up the flag, as the team spent more than 10 hours straight installing it.

He said he paid some of the staff, while many others "happily volunteered".

"People see the passion and hard work that has been put into this project, so, they come and help. They also get to be part of history - I don't think anyone has made a flag this long," he said. "I would like to thank everyone who helped me in this. It was a dream I had set a long time ago and I was finally able to receive permission from authorities to showcase this flag to the world."

Sharjah's Flag Island had set the Guinness World Record for the world's largest flag last year to honour Flag Day. It measures 70 metres in length and 35 metres in width.

The flag also broke the Guinness World Record for the largest flag hoisted on a fixed flagpole.

Saeed hopes to get his flag in the book of world records for the longest flag.

sarwat@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi