A celebration was held on Friday at the Grandstand of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to mark the 45th UAE National Day.

Those who attended the celebration from the UAE included His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; H.H. Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman; H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah; H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, and H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah.

Leaders and senior officials of foreign countries who attended the celebration included French President Francoise Hollande; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi; Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi; Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita; Afghan President Ashraf Ghani; Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic; Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord of Libya Fayez al-Sarraj; Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn; Senegalese Prime Minister Mohammed Abdallah Dionne; Denis Zvizdic, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Other foreign officials who attended the celebration include Tengku Abdullah ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah, Crown Prince of Pahang, Malaysia; Moulay Rachid, brother of King Mohammed VI of Morocco; Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of the King of Bahrain for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, and Prince Aga Khan, Leader of the Ismailis.

A large number of Emirati officials joined the celebration.

These included H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council; H.H. Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman; H.H. Sheikh Nasser bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Deputy Ruler of Ajman; H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Saif Al Sharqi, Deputy Ruler of Fujairah; H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah; H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Qaiwain; H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras al-Khaimah; Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Speaker of Federal National Council (FNC); H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler's Representative in the Eastern Region; H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Mohammed Al Nahyan; H.H. Sheikh Surour bin Mohammed Al Nahyan; H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; H.H. Sheikh Isa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser; H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; H.H. Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court; H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; H.H. Sheikh Omar bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation; H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs (ZHO); H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President; H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Executive Council Member; H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the State Security Department; Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, and Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council.

The Rulers, Crown Princes and Deputy Rulers congratulated President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the occasion and prayed to God to keep him in continued good health at the helm of the journey of development, progress and glory.

A joint air show was performed by the UAE Air Force, Egyptian Air Force and the Moroccan Air Force during the celebration.

A number of performances highlighted the eventful progress made by the UAE over the past 45 years of the Union, and the significant role of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and a number of Sheikhs joined Emiratis in performing Al-Ayyala, a traditional dance, showing the strength of bonds between the leadership and people.