PAD Marks 51st UAE National Day Celebrations | We Stand Together
In shades of green and red, Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) marked its UAE National Day celebrations with great enthusiasm and festivity on Thursday, Nov 24th, 2022, at the Pakistan Auditorium, PAD. The exclusive invite-only event, ‘We Stand Together’, was organised in a bid to celebrate 51 years of the UAE as our second home and to commemorate 51 years of the historic alliance shared between the UAE and Pakistan. Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, H.E. Faisal Niaz Tirmizi graced the event as our Chief Guest for the evening. Other esteemed guests included the Consul General of Pakistan, H.E. Hassan Afzaal Khan, and CEO Community Development Authority (CDA), H.E. Dr Omar Al Muthanna. Several prominent members of the Emirati community along with senior dignitaries from Philippines, Cuba, Ireland, Algeria, Nepal, Turkmenistan, Nigeria, Senegal, Romania, Panama, Belarus, Kyrgyz Republic, and Malaysia, were also present.
This year, Pakistan was hit by one of the worst humanitarian crises in its history when deadly floods caused widespread destruction across the country. Around 33 million were left homeless, with their belongings and entire livelihoods swept away. When the world united to support Pakistan, the UAE led the global humanitarian relief response with the campaign ‘We Stand Together’ to help the people of Pakistan emerge resilient through the challenging time. The UAE leadership facilitated PAD’s flood relief donation drive which successfully dispatched 15 aid containers to Sindh, Balochistan and KPK. This was all made possible through sincere participation of our community groups, corporates and schools who came forward for the cause. The PAD team also flew to Sindh and Balochistan to oversee the distribution of aid with the support of our local relief partners at Al Khidmat Foundation Pakistan. We extend our sincerest gratitude to CDA, Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, Dar Al Ber Society, and the UAE authorities for their constant support. This gesture is yet another testament to the UAE’s continuous resolve to strengthen its ties with Pakistan. A detailed video highlighting the various ways both countries have contributed to each other’s development was presented to the audience, as a show of our tribute to the longstanding bilateral relations between the UAE and Pakistan.
CEO CDA, H.E. Dr Omar Al Muthanna delivered an important keynote speech to recognise the UAE as one of the fastest growing economies in the world and commended the role that PAD has played in the success and rapid progress of the UAE’s economy. “Amidst the growth of Dubai, PAD has been one of the most rapidly transforming associations in the past decade. Only in the last 11 months, more than 60 events have been organised by PAD in various domains including sports, education, language, health awareness and more,” he said.
The gathering was a means to celebrate our glorious past, pay gratitude to the present, and envision and plan for the future. We took the opportunity to establish a vision of the future that we aim to embark upon with the UAE. Across areas of healthcare, education, social cohesion, and overall community wellbeing, we presented a visual representation of how the Pakistani community would continue to accompany the UAE to build a sustainable future together. Students from Pakistani Islamia School Sharjah then brought the event to life through an exhilarating cultural Arabic dance performance to entertain the guests.
On behalf of the Pakistani community, PAD President, Dr Faisel Ikram congratulated the people and residents of the UAE while addressing the celebrations, deeming the UAE as the number one destination in the world. He remarked, “The UAE is a land of peace, prosperity and endless possibilities. The amazing vision of the UAE leadership has brought communities together in a melting pot of cultures to build a society of tolerance and diversity.” Dr Ikram paid gratitude to the local authorities for their continuous support and also reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to solidify the important partnership we share with the UAE.
Distinguished members of the Emirati community from fields of healthcare, welfare, public service, entrepreneurship and more, joined our special evening and were acknowledged for their contributions to the success of the Emirates and in strengthening the Pakistan-UAE ties. The following individuals/entities were awarded by Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, H.E. Faisal Niaz Tirmizi for the phenomenal work in their respective fields:
• Emirates Red Crescent – Humanitarian Organisation (Mr Hamad Bakheet Al Romaithi)
• Dar Al Ber Society – Charitable Organisation (Mr Yusuf Yateem)
• Dubai Cares – UAE-Based Global Philanthropic Organisation (Ms Mada Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director Programs)
• Dubai Police – World-Leading Police Force of Dubai, UAE (Maj. Salah Al Mazrouei, Manager - K9 Unit Dubai Police)
• Mr Khalid Al Ameri – Emirati Blogger, Columnist and Motivational Speaker
• Dr. Ali Abdul Kareem Al Obaidli – Chairman of the UAE's National Organ Transplant Committee
• Mr. Faisal Abdulqader – Emirati Artist
• Dr. Zubair Farooq – UAE’s first Urdu poet
• Ms. Alyazi Almheiri – Founder of From The Arabs
• Ms. Laila Al Jassmi – Founder and CEO Health Beyond Borders
In his closing address, Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi reiterated the significance of the UAE-Pakistan friendship which dates back to the UAE’s inception in 1971 and the common values shared between both nations. “Indeed, these are two countries with one soul. It is an honour to serve in this beautiful country for the second time,” said Ambassador Faisal.
Our kind partners at Champion Neon, Digitally, Dhamma Perfumes, and Al Mehr Group were also thanked for playing an essential role in making the event a success.
As part of our UAE National Day Celebrations, Pakistan Medical Centre has launched a special package with 72 tests at AED 149 for all to avail. Patients are currently able to register online at www.pmcpad.ae to book their appointment slots. Registrations are open between November 20th – November 30th, 2022. The offer is only available upon registration and walk-in patients will not be eligible to avail the package.
