JEDDAH — The UAE's 41st National Day was not forgotten in Saudi Arabia, with the local UAE Consulate leading the celebrations with a reception ceremony on Wednesday evening in Jeddah. Consul General Ahmed Mohammed Mangoosh and consulate team members received guests and took photos with them. This year's National Day celebration theme was, for the second successive year, “The Spirit of The Union”. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, asked citizens to plant trees at their homes or workplaces as a way to support the theme. Mangoosh and other diplomats also planted trees at the consulate and the consul general's residence as part of the celebrations. Princes, senior officials, consuls general and ambassadors of several Arab and non-Arab countries as well as many prominent Saudi and UAE businessmen, a large number of Emiratis, a number of UAE companies and institutions that operate in Jeddah and the media attended the event at Jeddah Hilton. An Emirati folk arts band also played as part of the celebrations. In the same hall a corner was decorated to look a traditional Emirati house, attracting many visitors. The ceremony began with the UAE and Saudi national anthems. Mangoosh and Mohammad Ahmad Tayeb, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Makkah, cut the celebration cake. The UAE, a union of seven emirates, won formal independence from the United Kingdom on Dec. 2, 1971.
