His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, along with the Crown Princes, witnessed the graduation ceremony of the 8th batch of National Service male recruits and the 6th batch of its female recruits, at Zayed Military City, in the presence of the families of the graduates, UAE official news agency WAM reported.
Present were H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, H.H. Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, 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, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra, H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler`s Representative in Al Ain, 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 Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative, 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 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 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 Organization for Humanitarian Care & Special Needs (ZHO), Pilot Staff-Brigadier Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National and Reserve Service Authority, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Lt. General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, diplomats, military attachés and relatives of the graduates.
“Our happiness surges as we see their determination and raised heads, full of resolve, will and resolution, which is exactly the same as the volunteers of 1990, who stood in front of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This place contains immortal symbolism and memories,” Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said.
"There is no better feeling for the leader, father and nation than to see their children graduate to the fields of pride and honor with confident steps while gathering around their leadership proud of their roots, identity and belonging to this great land,” he added.
“I trust that this national spirit and zeal will continue with the graduates as they perform their national duty in all areas, because they can fulfill their responsibilities and are aware of the greatness of their tasks, and they express, in their daily actions, the truest meanings of love and belonging to the nation and loyalty to its leadership, which makes us feel proud and reassured about the nation’s future,” he noted.
H.H. Sheikh Mohamed noted that the UAE Armed Forces is the nation’s impenetrable fort and the pride of every Emirati home. “Through them, we will all sacrifice ourselves for the nation, and it will remain, with the help of Allah Almighty, strong and proud, due to their sacrifices, actions, honorable stances and professional military capabilities,” he further said.
Several military vehicles and armored cars participated in the demonstration column that included the latest model of NIMR multi-purpose military vehicles, which is the most advanced equipment produced by the UAE defense industries that were launched 10 years ago by the Tawazun Economic Council.
At the end of the ceremony, the audience watched a film that documented the graduation of the first batch of recruits, who answered the nation’s call in 1990, and the words of Sheikh Zayed that praised the national spirit of the nation’s youth during that period of the nation’s journey.
