The 54th UAE National Day was celebrated at the Zayed Museum in Abu Dhabi

The 54th Eid Al Etihad celebration in the United Arab Emirates unfolded as a sweeping visual narrative on Tuesday, transforming the newly inaugurated Zayed National Museum into a stage where history, art and national identity come together in an immersive performance.

The ceremony — attended by President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Her Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and other rulers, ministers and dignitaries — presented the nation’s history through three guiding voices: the land, the people and the radio.

A voice from the earth

“Do you hear his voice?” asked the narration, as the sound of footsteps on the sand mingled with the hum of an engine. Archival footage towering over the audience shows the UAE’s founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, driving through the desert in the 1968 documentary Farewell Arabia.

The digitally enhanced film revealed the exact vehicle: a 1966 Formal Black Chrysler Newport. A rare matching car, located in California, restored with larger wheels and a flag stand – reflecting Sheikh Zayed’s own adaptations for the rugged desert. The restored car now sits inside the Zayed National Museum as a symbol of leadership, determination and vision.

“Sheikh Zayed’s voice, Ya Marheba Ya Zain, echoed throughout the performance,” organizers said, highlighting the values ​​he embodies – respect for heritage, tolerance and a deep bond between leadership and people.

A journey through time

A radio dial became the narrative’s time machine, transporting audiences through millennia.

Some 8,000 years ago, the story began with a diver off Marawah Island recovering one of the world’s oldest natural pearls – a reminder of how much early Gulf communities relied on pearling, trade and cooperation.

Three thousand years later, the scenes shifted to Saruq Al Hadid, an Iron Age industrial center where craftsmen forged swords and jewels under the constellation Al Jabbar. Carneic beads discovered there highlighted ancient sea trade routes that connected early civilizations.

Trade, navigation and leadership

The ceremony then highlighted the appearance of the Abiel coin some 2,000 years ago – a symbol of early rule and economic life. Featuring a horse instead of the usual Hellenistic imagery, the coin reflected the adaptability and independence of the region, as well as archaeological evidence of female leadership.

Six centuries ago, the narrative turned seaward, following the famous navigator Ahmed Ibn Majid, who charted new horizons using the kamal, a star-reading tool that guided sailors on the open water.

The birth of the Union

The show moved to the defining moment in modern Emirati history: the unification of the seven emirates. Scenes depicted gatherings of rulers and the moments leading up to the landmark announcement of the Union 54 years ago — proclaimed over the radio by Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Suwaidi as the national flag was raised for the first time.

“Union is the most precious thing that has ever happened on this earth,” said Sheikh Zayed. “Many people could not have imagined that this union could be achieved.”

Culture, identity and future

The present-day UAE took center stage as the national anthem Ishy Bilady was performed by the UAE National Orchestra in its first performance, symbolizing a cultural identity rooted in heritage but open to global influence. Veteran reporter Khalil Aylabouni’s narration further connected the past with the present.

The ceremony also highlighted the UAE’s future aspirations – from clean energy to advanced science, technology and space – as a Mirage 2000-9 soared aloft, mirroring the ascent of a spacecraft.

In a symbolic gesture towards lasting legacy, Sheikh Zayed’s restored Chrysler Newport was driven to the museum, representing the continuation of his vision “on earth, sea and stars”.

The emotional finale lit up the nation’s children singing a patriotic National Day anthem, reinforcing the message that “Sheikh Zayed’s legacy does not dwell in the past, but lives on in every generation.”

The Zayed National Museum will open to the public on Wednesday, December 3.