December 05, 2021/ Socotra Online
Reporting and Photography: Editorial Team
The people of Socotra shared the United Arab Emirates and its people the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Union Day.
The celebration, which was organized by the Development Committee at the stadium of the deceased Saad Ali Salmin in the capital, Hadiboh, witnessed a large official and public attendance from various regions and villages of the archipelago.
The public participation embodied the finest examples of expressing loyalty to the Emirates, the government and the people, for all the support and assistance they provide in various vital, service and living aspects of the island’s population.
The audience raised the flags of the United Arab Emirates and banners congratulating the rulers and people of the UAE on this great occasion in their hearts, and words of thanks and gratitude to the UAE for its permanent and continuous fraternal support for the people of Socotra and their keenness on the renaissance and development of Socotra.
At the ceremony, Engineer Raafat Al Thaqali, the head of the Southern Transitional Council, expressed his happiness to participate with the people of the island in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the UAE National Day.
Al-Thaqali congratulated the rulers of the UAE on this great occasion, asking God Almighty to protect the Emirates and its rulers and guide them to all the best.
He praised the efforts of a development committee led by Sultan Ali bin Issa bin Afrar in organizing this celebration and produced it in a distinctive way that reflects the love of the people of Socotra for the Emirates and their eagerness to share their national joys.
For his part, Raed Al-Juraibi, the First Representative of the Governorate, said that the participation of the people of Socotra today comes in the UAE, its 50th National Day, as a special occasion to honor the continuous support it provides to Socotra in all sectors.
Sultan Ali bin Issa bin Afrar, Chairman of the Development Committee, valued everyone for accepting the invitation and participating in this celebration on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the National Day of the United Arab Emirates.
Bin Afrar said that we find this occasion an opportunity to express our appreciation for all the humanitarian efforts provided by the UAE for the stability, development and renaissance of Socotra.
While the Sheikh of Socotra sheikhs, Sheikh Suleiman Abdullah Shallulha, indicated that we are happy to share with our brothers in the UAE their national holiday, which represents the festival of the Arab world because of the success and renaissance of this union until it reached Mars, thanks to God and then his wise leadership.
Sheikh Shalulha thanked all the participants for their arrival and their interest in participating in the celebration, which is a great occasion for the people of Socotra.
The celebration included a minute’s silence for the souls of the UAE martyrs in Yemen, who gave their blood in order to defend Yemen.
The ceremony also included a number of traditional artistic paragraphs presented by folk groups, expressing in their entirety the joy of congratulating the people of Socotra for their brothers in the UAE on their National Day and their high appreciation for all the humanitarian activities implemented by the UAE on their island.
The celebration was attended by Brigadier General Ali Al-Dexami, the Director General of Police; the Brigadier General Mohsen Al-Hajj, Commander of the First Brigade Marine; tribesmen; sheikhs; dignitaries; social figures; and a large crowd of the public.
