President Sheikh Mohamed announces an annual national occasion to translate Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s principles of unity, generosity, and service into civic action.
ABU DHABI — October 28, 2026 : The United Arab Emirates will mark January 7 each year as “Zayed the Founder Day,” establishing a permanent national occasion to celebrate the enduring legacy, leadership, and humanitarian values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced the decision on Wednesday, noting that the new observance will serve as an annual platform to translate the founding father’s core principles into concrete community and national initiatives.
“The UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, forever remains in the hearts of the people of the UAE,” Sheikh Mohamed wrote on X. “As he led efforts to establish the Union, laid its foundations, and nurtured its development, his life and legacy were defined by his vision, generosity, and service to humanity. Today, we declare 7 January as Zayed the Founder Day, a new annual national occasion dedicated to celebrating his enduring legacy, transforming wisdom into action, and ensuring these values continue to inspire our nation on its steadfast path of progress towards the future.”
The initiative, led by The Founder’s Office, will begin its official observances in 2027. Mandated to safeguard and promote Sheikh Zayed’s heritage, the office will use the occasion as a catalyst for nationwide programs spanning education, historical research, cultural activities, and civic engagement. While anchored on January 7, related public and institutional programs will run throughout the calendar year.
The January timing was deliberately chosen to coincide with the start of the civil, academic, and business calendar. State planners intend the date to act as an anchor point for schools, government entities, and private sector organizations to reconnect with founding principles, setting a value-driven tone for the rest of the year.
The observance will emphasize cross-generational learning and broad public inclusion. Programs will focus on introducing younger generations to the strategic decisions and humanitarian ethos that guided the country’s unification in 1971. Organizers highlighted that the events will welcome all residents regardless of nationality, reflecting Sheikh Zayed’s emphasis on peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and international cooperation.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, affirmed the initiative’s significance in preserving national heritage.
“The announcement by His Highness the President of ‘Zayed the Founder Day’ renews our pride in the legacy of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the values upon which our nation was built,” Sheikh Mansour said in a statement. “The greatest tribute we can pay to Sheikh Zayed is to ensure that his approach remains alive in our hearts and minds, and that his values remain firmly instilled in our children.”
The new annual date joins existing national commemorations that pay tribute to the architects of the Federation, creating an institutional framework to preserve historical memory and pass foundational civic values to future generations.
