In honor of the UAE’s 50th anniversary, the Abu Dhabi Arts Society (ADAS), in collaboration with its Partners and Associates, has created a commemorative coinage that depicts a pivotal milestone in the UAE’s history: the Declaration of the Union, or ‘Ittihad.’
“The design of this mint was a celebration of the achievements and successes of the UAE during the past 50 years and commemoration of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the founding fathers, and in gratitude towards their prominent role as it is through their wise policies that the UAE has become a successful modern state,” Dr Hamed Bin Mohamed Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Founder and Chairman of the Trustees — ADAS, said in a statement.
The late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan is depicted in an image on the coin’s front face. At the time of the proclamation of the UAE federation on December 2, 1971, Ahmed Khalifa Al Suwaidi, the then Minister of Presidential Affairs, the first Minister of UAE Foreign Affairs, and Representative to the President of the UAE, was standing next to him.
The image in the backdrop of the coin depicts a falcon, which represents the country’s heritage, while the circular rope signifies the first generation’s power and togetherness. The number ’50’ and the years ‘1971-2021’ are imprinted on both sides of the coin.