DUBAI: UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed has congratulated Saudi Arabia on its 87th National Day.
Taking to Twitter the Dubai Ruler took to Twitter on Thursday saying: “Congratulations to our brothers in KSA on their 87th National Day; our countries share a cherished partnership and their joy is our joy.”
The Saudi national day is being marked across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with various events taking place over Thursday and Friday.
In the UAE events include spectacular firework displays across Dubai and Arab pop stars Balqees, Dalia Mubarak, Waed, and Rakan Khaled will all be performing concerts over the two days.
Meanwhile the UAE has also taken to social media to mark the event with a special Arabic hashtag which translates to Together_Forever.
The hashtag creates an emoji Saudi King Salman and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.
Congratulations to our brothers in KSA on their 87th National Day; our countries share a cherished partnership and their joy is our joy. pic.twitter.com/jyT0IIYY58
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) September 20, 2017
And mobile customers in the UAE will probably have noticed that both Etisalat and du have the message “UAE KSA TOGETHER” running across the top of their phone screens.
In a prayer also tweeted by Sheikh Mohammed he called on “Almighty Allah” to “bring glory on the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince.”
He added: “Together_Forever Saudi Arabia and the UAE, their success is our success, their country is our country and their ruler is our pride. Together forever in fate, in the service of Islam and in defense of our nations.”
The celebrations were also marked on Wednesday at the arrivals area of Dubai International Airport where visitors were met by a team of greeters handing out sweets, flowers and gifts.
"إقامة دبي" تستقبل المسافرين السعوديين عبر مطارات دبي بالورود والهدايا وبختم خاص يحمل شعار #معاً_أبداً بمناسبة #اليوم_الوطني السعودي pic.twitter.com/bxO4jTBrM3
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) September 20, 2017
In Dubai Creek at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday there will be a fireworks display, and visitors to the various malls will be able to watch and participate in various events.
And in Kuwait Souq Al-Mubarakeya market was decorated and the iconic Kuwait Towers were lit up with the Saudi flag.
Meanwhile shoppers in Bahrain will be entertained with traditional music and dance at the country’s largest shopping mall “City Center Bahrain.”
There will also be a selection of prizes to be won and special promotions laid on to mark the event.
This weekend also marks the Islamic New Year — Hijri – but while much of the GCC was given the day off to celebrate on Thursday, Oman announced late Wednesday that Sunday would be a national holiday.
The announcement came after the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs said it could not sight the moon of Muharram of the new Hijri year 1439 AH on Wednesday evening.
But the ministry added that Thursday, Sept. 21 would be the last day of the current Islamic year.
“Friday will be the first day of Muharram which falls on September 22, 2017,” the ministry said in its moon sighting statement.
