(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Across the UAE, the national flag is flying high everywhere ahead of Flag Day on November 3, adorning rooftops, balconies, and shopfronts.

In some areas, the entire neighbourhood is wrapped in the nation's colours - red, green, white, and black - as families, children, and even shop and institution owners take part in a ritual that has become a symbol of pride and belonging. For many, the sight never grows old.

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To see the country draped in UAE colours, is a yearly tradition deeply rooted in memory, one that begins as soon as the calendar turns to November. Families remove the old flags that have braved a year of heat and dust and raise a new one, crisp and bright against the clear sky.

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UAE Flag Day, marks the accession of country's second president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2004. The occasion was established in 2013 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to honour the country's unity, its leadership, and its people's shared commitment to the union.

Exactly at 11am, government and private institutions, schools, and homes across the country raise the flag simultaneously while the national anthem plays. It is a simple gesture, but one that carries powerful meaning, a reminder of loyalty, belonging, and gratitude for what the nation has achieved in just over five decades.

For Al Ain resident Maitha Al Amari, the day is as much about family as it is about the flag. The 31-year-old said her household has been observing the tradition for as long as she can remember.“My father gathers all the kids and the grandkids, and we go together to replace the flag,” she said.“He treats it like a celebration. We fold the old flag carefully and raise the new one together. It's something we've done for years, and it reminds us of who we are.”

She added that the moment is also an opportunity to teach the younger generation about the values behind the flag -respect, gratitude, and pride in the UAE's journey.“For the little ones, it's not just about hanging a flag, it's about understanding why it matters,” she said.

In Dubai, Ferjan Dubai launched a community initiative this year to distribute new flags across neighbourhoods.

Volunteers visit homes, collect old flags, and replace them with fresh ones under the slogan“Our neighbourhoods look more beautiful with our flags.” Residents were also invited through social media to share their locations and receive new flags, turning a local project into a countrywide movement of pride.

For Sara M, a 27-year-old Emirati teacher living in Dubai, Flag Day carries a sense of warmth that goes beyond patriotism.“Flag Day comes with the feeling of good times,” she said.“It's the beginning of November, the air turns cooler, and you start thinking about National Day, the holidays, and all the good memories. It's a celebration of the country, but also of how far we've come together.”

She added that every year, she makes a point of taking photos of the flags in her community and sharing them with friends abroad.“It's something that connects us no matter where we are,” she said.“When I see those colours, I think of home."

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