Have you wished the UAE a happy Union day today? Google didn’t forget!
Type in google.com on your browser and you’ll find a doodle of the UAE flag fluttering the sky just about the world ‘Google’.
And that’s not all: Click on the flag and you’ll be greeted with fireworks in the country’s colours, red, green, and black.
If you’re checking this out on your phone, you’ll find a fireworks button on the lower right — tap on it and the virtual fireworks will take over your screen all over again. How cool is that?
Besides the interactive greeting, Google also makes it a point to tell the world a bit about the UAE story and why this day is important for the country.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
It explains what the UAE National Day is all about: “This public holiday commemorates the greater union of seven different emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al-Quwain, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah. On this day in 1971, the UAE was established and became a sovereign, independent nation — all while allowing each emirate to retain its unique identity.”
How is it usually celebrated? With fireworks and spectacles, of course! Google was on point with this trivia: “Festivities typically include parades, firework shows, musical performances, and even events like camel races and car rallies … Families also gather for feasts and parties full of delicious foods like the national dish khuzi (roasted lamb served on spicy rice).”
Every year, the UAE puts on a jaw-dropping show to mark the occasion. Today, it will be held at Expo City Dubai — with a theme that celebrates how sustainability has been always been part of the Emirati way of life. It would be the perfect show as the country is currently hosting the COP28 climate summit.
Celebrating heroes, events, culture, places and more, Google Doodle has been around for about 25 years, with more than 5,000 drawings and animations done over the decades.