In a remarkable display of love and affection for the region’s longest serving Ruler, tens of thousands of citizens and residents poured into the streets of Ras Al Khaimah last evening to take part in the festivities that marked the 60th accession anniversary of H.H. Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.
The Al Qawasim Corniche turned into a sea of humanity as huge crowds thronged the streets well before the festivities took off at 4 pm. The celebrations started with the grand parade, which had events held on land, sea and sky.
The high note of the entire event came when H.H. Sheikh Saqr bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, arrived in a motorcade to greet the crowd. He waved hands as people jostled to catch a glimpse of their beloved leader.
Sheikh Saqr, who took the reins of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in 1948, is the world’s second longest- serving ruler, surpassed only by King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.
The celebrations were led by H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and attended by a number of sheikhs and dignitaries.
The parade started off with a majestic cavalry line up of 60 horsemen bearing flags with the photograph of Sheikh Saqr along with UAE national flags. It was followed by a group of Emiratis who marched with falcons resting on their hands.
The around 4000 marchers who made up the parade presented a vivid kaleidoscope of UAE society- flag waving school children, emirati youth, police bands playing bagpipes, people with special needs, women clad in traditional abayas, expatriate associations from Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Egypt, Syria and Jordan, cultural and folklore societies and even expatriate taxi drivers who parked their vehicles and joined the parade.
H.H. Sheikh Saud said that the overwhelming public participation in the celebrations reflected the love and respect people, both nationals and expatriates, have towards H.H. Sheikh Saqr. “This celebration is a national occasion when people come together to express their affection and regard to a remarkable leader who has worked tirelessly during the last six decades for his people and his country,” Sheikh Saud said. He also thanked the people, institutions, schools, government departments and other organisations for their participation in the event.
As the march ended, the action shifted to the nearby creek where scores of marine vessels created a flotilla which glided through the calm waters. The water show reflected the rich maritime legacy of Ras Al Khaimah with a variety of vessels- ranging from roving boats and dhows to fishing vessels and patrol boats, taking part in the procession.
Then came tributes from the sky as helicopters and light aircrafts, flying UAE flags and huge portraits of Sheikh Saqr, hovered around the corniche and showered chocolates on the thronging crowds.
Another highlight of the celebration was the opera titled `60 Golden Years of the Falcon of the Arabs" staged by around 500 performers. The show held at a specially- built open air stage was a musical tribute to the contributions made by Sheikh Saqr for the progress and development of Ras Al Khamah and the UAE.
An exhibition of rare photographs and paintings on Sheikh Saqr was also held as part of the festivities. A plaque with the writing "For my father with love" made by Sheikha Amina bint Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, using 582 natural pearls was a major attraction at the exhibition. Emirati singers enthralled the crowds in a concert which lasted till the wee hours of Friday. The event was wrapped up by a dazzling display of fireworks.
“I have never seen a celebration like this in Ras Al Khaimah. The respect and love people have for Sheikh Saqr is without bounds. He gave us hope when hope was scarce and secured the future of our many generations by his vision and wisdom, said 66- year old Obaid Osman Mubarak Al Nuaimi, one of the thousands of spectators who braved the chilly winter night to take part in the celebrations.
