On the eve of the Union Pledge Day, which falls on July 18, senior residents take us back to when they first heard the glimmers of a United Arab Emirates.
It was 54 years ago, in 1971, when the founding father Sheikh Zayed and his fellow rulers signed the Declaration of the Union and the UAE Constitution.
Dr Ahmed Al Khoori, who witnessed the transformation of the region from the challenging days of the late 1950s to the birth of the nation in 1971, recalls a time when life in Abu Dhabi city was marked by scarcity and struggle.
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“Life in Abu Dhabi city from late 1950s to early 1960s were very difficult, mainly due to shortage of drinking water and some stable food such as rice,” Dr Al Khoori remembered.
The infrastructure that we take for granted today was virtually non-existent. Education was in its infancy, with the first school, Al Falahia, opening its doors only in 1958. Healthcare was even more scarce.
“Healthcare was non-existent until late 1960s,” Dr Al Khoori told Khaleej Times, highlighting the basic challenges that residents faced in accessing essential services.
Whispers of unity
But even in those challenging times, whispers of a grand vision began to circulate. Dr Al Khoori first heard about the idea of a union not through official channels, but through the informal networks that bind communities together.
“I heard it from relatives and also from my British teachers when I was studying at the Adnoc onshore training centre, which was then called ADPC,” he said.
The concept of unity was being discussed in both family gatherings and educational institutions, suggesting that the idea had captured the imagination of people across different spheres of society.
Dr Al Khoori’s British instructors at the training centre were particularly encouraging about the prospects of union. And when he was young, Dr Al Khoori would inquire about the advantages of such an arrangement, they would consistently respond that “union is stability and progress”.
Good for us all
July 18, 1971, dawned like any other day in Abu Dhabi, where Dr Al Khoori found himself as history unfolded. But the news that would reach him that day would change not only his life, but the trajectory of an entire region.
“I was very delighted and happy as my relative used to say the union is good for all of us,” Dr Al Khoori shared.
The celebrations were intimate and heartfelt, rooted in the close-knit nature of the communities. “I remember relatives were happy and congratulating each other and us children also copied them and congratulated each other.” he added.
Immediate transformations
The changes that followed the union were both immediate and profound. For Dr Al Khoori and countless others, one of the most tangible early benefits was the freedom of movement.
“We were able to travel to other emirates without being checked by police for ID or passport,” he noted.
The union also opened up new opportunities in the burgeoning oil and gas sector. “I remember people from other emirates were able to join oil and gas companies more easily,” Dr Al Khoori continued, underlining: “Infrastructure development accelerated rapidly. We built better schools and health care throughout the Emirates.”
A nation united
Perhaps the most meaningful change for Dr Al Khoori was the sense of belonging that the union created. “We had relatives from other emirates and we said we are now one nation,” he reflected.
Today, as Dr Al Khoori looks back on the journey from those difficult days of the 1950s to the prosperous nation that the UAE has become, his feelings are unambiguous. “Very proud,” he said, when asked about his emotions regarding the UAE’s transformation.
News travelled
For other residents, like 65-year-old Hassan Salim, the news of a united nation came only months after July 18, when the pledge was signed. “We heard about it on December 2, but we knew that the sheikhs met for an important meeting. There was no official announcement on the radio or television.”
Hassan was in school that time, then only 11 years old, but understood the importance of such a historic moment. He said that him and his schoolmates were thrilled at the prospect of a new country, one that would unite all six emirates (the seventh, Ras Al Khaimah, joined a year later).
The residents of Sharjah were overjoyed to hear that their new ruler would be the late Sheikh Zayed bin Nahyan. Sheikh Zayed ruled then-independent Abu Dhabi from 1966, with a burning desire to develop the emirate as quickly as possible. He used oil revenues to better the lives of his people, constructing improved schools, houses, hospitals, and roadways.
Word of his generosity travelled to other emirates, in which Hassan said, “When we heard he was going to be the new country’s ruler, we were so happy.” Students went out in droves to demonstrate in celebration.
Before the formation of the emirates, Hassan’s school, Ali bin Abi Taleb School in Sharjah, would raise the flag of the emirate, a red rectangle surrounded by white borders. On that day, the new flag of the UAE stood alongside it, with its pan-Arab colours: red, green, white and black, meant to represent the nation’s unity.
A new anthem
Aisha Salem, 55 years old, who witnessed the birth of the nation, was also in school at the time. But she was still too young to understand the historic moment that was unfolding. “When I entered the fourth grade, they suddenly told us we will teach you the Emirati national anthem,” she recalled. “We would sing a new anthem, and they told us about the details of the union and its establishment.”
“The UAE flag was also raised, and we didn’t understand what was happening,” Aisha added. “The teacher would sing the new Emirati national anthem for us, and we would sing after her. Later in the classrooms, papers with the new national anthem of the UAE were distributed.”
The story of the UAE’s union, as told through the eyes of those who lived it, is a reminder that visionary leadership, combined with the determination of a people, can indeed transform dreams into reality.
www.khaleejtimes.com (Article Sourced Website)
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