By Staff Reporter
UAE Launches Emirati National Identity Strategy to Strengthen Cultural Roots and Unity
The UAE Government has launched the Emirati National Identity Strategy, a comprehensive national framework designed to strengthen the country’s cultural identity, unity, and social cohesion.
The initiative was unveiled during the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2025 in Abu Dhabi by Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, in collaboration with the National Projects Office of the Presidential Court.
The strategy aims to reinforce national belonging, promote family and community values, and position the Emirati identity on the global stage through cooperation and cultural exchange. It envisions a deeply rooted national identity that reflects the UAE leadership’s vision and serves as a foundation for stability and prosperity.
Developed with input from over 40 federal and local entities, the strategy is built on three pillars: defining the Emirati identity and its core values, establishing a national framework to integrate it across sectors, and introducing a governance model with a National Identity Index to track progress.
The framework identifies six core elements—Islamic values, the Arabic language and Emirati dialect, the Union and homeland, heritage and traditions, history and collective memory, and the family—as the pillars of national character. It also emphasizes five key values including respect, perseverance, belonging, coexistence, and generosity.
Thirteen initiatives form the backbone of the plan, spanning education, culture, media, and tourism. These include integrating identity themes into school curricula, developing cultural content standards, and strengthening Emirati heritage within families and media.
H.H. Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan described the initiative as both a legacy and a responsibility, highlighting its role in uniting citizens and residents through shared values of respect, coexistence, and belonging.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
