UAE National Day: Dubai's yacht parade hoisted flag in the middle of the sea

Kicking off socially distanced National Day celebrations in Dubai, yachts and cars on Tuesday paraded the UAE’s colours across the emirate’s streets and waterways.

While 100 decorated vehicles vroomed into a parade in Mamzar at 9.30am, yachts set sail in Dubai Marina.

A fleet of 20 yachts and water scooters — adorned with mini UAE flags, ribbons and balloons — cruised towards the open sea. It was a captivating spectacle that residents were able to watch from their apartments’ balconies and walkways.

The yachts embarked on a two-hour cruise, taking with it a 49m-long UAE flag, which was raised in the middle of the sea by a fly boarder. During that unique flag-hoisting moment, the boats formed a circle around it as passengers cheered for the UAE.

Senior government officials and media representatives were among the people who took part in the parade that was organised by D3 Yachts and Dubai Maritime City Authority.

Shameer Mohammed Ali of Dubai D3 Yacht said: “We are proud to present the marine parade to commemorate the 49th UAE National Day. We have been in this industry for many years and it is our privilege to allocate our super yachts for the event.”

The parade covered several key landmarks, including the Atlantis, before concluding the ride back at the Dubai Marina.

‘Ride with pride’

Called Ride with Pride, the 40-minute car parade organised by Al Ghurair (AG) Auto and AG Cars Services took the festive fleet from Mamzar to the Union Flag pole in Jumeirah.

Adorned with the colours of the national flag, the vehicles moved together at a speed of 40 to 60kmph. As everyone observed Covid safety rules, there were only three people in a car, all them waving flags with the UAE’s national anthem playing in their car stereos.

Leading from the front were Arturo Lujan, CEO of Al Ghurair Ventures; Mohammad Abdul Malique, head of operations at AG Cars by Al Ghurair; and Mohammad Malik Tarik, head of AG Auto.

“This car parade was our way of saying thank you to the UAE that we expats call our second home. The safety and security we have experienced in the UAE, even amid the pandemic is a source of great comfort. The authorities here have left no stone unturned to ensure the protection and happiness of residents so this is a tribute to the country for its hospitality. In this parade, both Emirati and expatriates rode side by side to show the true harmonious spirit of the UAE,” Lujan told Khaleej Times.

Talking about safety precautions during the parade, he said: “After running temperature checks for all the participants and handing them breakfast in their cars, we ensured all of them and their families were wearing their masks. We also ensured there were no more than three people in a car.”

saman@khaleejtimes.com