Expats express pride as UAE celebrates 91st Saudi National Day

Abu Dhabi - “We salute our leaders for their wisdom and relentless efforts towards the country’s development"

Saudi expats expressed pride in their home country’ heritage as the kingdom celebrates its 91st National Day on Thursday.

Effa Al Dabbagh, founder and designer of @effafashion Town Centre Jumeirah says she’s proud of her country’s heritage and the brotherly relationship it enjoys with the UAE.

“Saudi Arabia and the UAE have strong ties in all aspects and the success and achievements of each make all of us proud,” she said.

“The UAE is my second home. I am really happy staying here and doing business in this great nation. Saudis are very much respected here and I have always felt supported and honoured by my Emirati brothers and sisters in my abaya business.”

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Haifa Alharbi, a Saudi businesswoman in Dubai, says her country is empowering women. “We salute our leaders for their wisdom and relentless efforts towards the country’s development. They have issued laws that empowered women and created equal opportunities for everyone,” she said.

Alharbi said she was happy with the UAE’s deep ties with Saudi Arabia which has enabled growth and modernisation of the two nations in addition to strengthening the brotherly bond among citizens of both nations.

“We are all one. We share a common language, faith and culture, and I feel at home in the UAE,” she said.

Another Saudi national, Mohammed Hassan says he enjoys staying in the UAE because of common values and culture. “Though I have strong love for my nation, I don’t miss it much when I am here in the UAE. We are treated like brothers,” he said.

The Saudi Arabia National Day, which falls on September 23, marks the day its founder King Abdulaziz Al Saud renamed the Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in honour of his family name. The day was declared a national holiday by the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in 2005.

- ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi