Celebration of the 47th National Day of the UAE at the Biltmore Hotel
On December 3, 2018, The Biltmore Hotel in Tbilisi hosted an event dedicated to the occasion of the 47th National Day of the United Arab Emirates.
The celebration was attended by a number of guests including, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the UAE Embassy colleagues, representatives of the diplomatic corps and media sector and others.
All the guests were welcomed by the official delegation of the UAE, led by the first UAE Ambassador in Georgia H.E. Essa Albasha Alnoaimi. The Ambassador delivered a speech where he addressed the audience and focused on several significant aspects.
In the introductory part of the speech, H.E. Essa Albasha Alnoaimi expressed his happiness about being the first UAE Ambassador in Georgia. He also extended his congratulations to the leaders of the United Arab Emirates on the celebration of such a notable date as the 47th National Day of their country and emphasized on the importance of this year in case of this occasion, as 2018 coincides with the centenary of the birth of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nayhan, who is considered to be the founding father of the UAE. Due to this reason, 2018 has been given the name of the ‘Year of Zayed’.
The Ambassador focused on the UAE’s active diplomacy on the international arena and on the power of the UAE Passport worldwide:
“The UAE adopted an active diplomacy, with a marked openness to the outside world, establishing very good network of relations with various countries around the world. One of the most salient indicators of the success of UAE Diplomacy is the strength of the UAE Passport, which is ranked number one in the world, according to the World Passport Index, reaching 167 countries visa-free” – stated H.E Essa Albasha Alnoaimi.
The values of tolerance and multiculturalism of the UAE, its partnership with numerous regional and international bodies and its fights against extremism and terrorism have also been highlighted in the speech.
The Ambassador continued by focusing on the reputation of the UAE as a strategic trade hub and the well-developed legal system of the country which protects foreign capital. He also pointed out the importance of sports for the UAE in case of confidence and acceptance around the world, and the support of government to the Special Olympics World Games that will be hosted by Abu Dhabi in 2019.
“Sheikh Zayed’s vision was to create a nation that did not just achieve coexistence, but to foster genuine cooperation, mutual respect and effective compassion for all people, regardless of their race, religion or ability. Forty-seven years since its founding, the UAE still embraces these important values” – said the Ambassador.
The final part of the speech was dedicated to the close partnership of the UAE and Georgia. H.E. Essa Albasha Alnoaimi stated the exchange visits of high level are very important for the enhancement of the relations between the two countries and exemplified the visit of the President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili in April 2018. The Ambassador also emphasized the UAE investments in Georgia, which have already reached eight hundred million dollars, covering a number of sectors, including real estate, baking, tourism, hotels and retail business. Finally, he pointed out the role of air transportation between UAE and Georgia, reaching 71 flights per week.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Lasha Darsalia also spoke at the event. On the behalf of the Georgian government he congratulated the UAE on the celebration of the National Day. Darsalia outlined the significance of the opening of the Embassy of the UAE in Georgia for strengthening friendly relations between the two countries.
The event was followed by a wonderful reception with a great variety of traditional UAE dishes and confectionary, accompanied by pleasant music. The Emirati companies such as The Biltmore Hotel, Terra Bank, Fly Dubai and Air Arabia have contributed awards for the attendees. The celebration was concluded by the cake cutting ceremony.
The Embassy of the UAE organized a beautiful event and gave the guests the opportunity to enjoy the evening in a lovely atmosphere.
By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya
Image source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia