UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has designated January 7 of every year as "Zayed the Founder Day," a new national observance honouring the country's founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The announcement came on Wednesday, October 28, and the day will enter the official calendar starting next year.
Officials say the date was chosen deliberately. The number seven echoes the seven emirates that united in 1971 to form the UAE, while January itself marks the first full working week of the year, when government offices, schools and companies resume activity after the New Year break. That timing, officials explained, offers a natural moment each year to reconnect with the values Sheikh Zayed championed before people are swept up in the rest of the calendar.
In a statement marking the announcement, Sheikh Mohamed described his father's legacy as one defined by vision, generosity and service to humanity, noting that Sheikh Zayed laid the foundations of the Union and guided its growth throughout his life.
The new day is expected to serve as an annual checkpoint for reflecting on how far the UAE has come since its founding, and as an occasion to pass on Sheikh Zayed's emphasis on tolerance, unity among the emirates and long-term planning to younger generations. Federal and local entities are likely to mark the day with cultural and educational programming, though specific plans have not yet been detailed.