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He has designed jewellery, but the country’s flag is “the most precious piece of jewellery” he has ever painted, he told Khaleej Times
Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah has met repeatedly with the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – but he has never introduced himself as the teenager who designed the flag.
“He never asked me directly about the flag. But whenever I was in front of him, I was very proud to know that he was the one who chose my design,” Al Maainah told Cali era.
“I was honoured when he raised the flag for the first time to announce the establishment of the UAE on December 2, 1971.”
The UAE Flag Day, celebrated on 3rd November every year, has always been a special day in Al Maainah. He used to design jewelry, but for him, the flag will always be “the most precious jewelry” he has ever painted.
“I don’t remember the exact date I sat down to paint the flag 49 years ago, but that day brought me into the history of this country,” the Emiratis said.
Al Maainah, known throughout Emirati history as an Emiratis, experienced the proudest moment of his life at the age of 19 as he watched his creations flutter in the sky, representing his beloved homeland.
But what some people don’t know is that he also served the country’s diplomatic corps for 49 years after his historic achievement. With every meeting and conference he attends, checking the flag has become part of his daily routine. Is it in perfect condition? Is it cultivated correctly? Is it in the proper position?
In his own way he became Guardian of the UAE flag.
Serving the diplomatic corps for nearly five years was an honour, he said, “but nothing was more precious than the moment I learned that my design was chosen to represent the UAE”.
The story behind the UAE flag
Nearly five years ago, Al Maainah saw a newspaper ad calling for everyone to enter a national flag design competition. With simple tools and his talent for drawing, he got to work immediately, as the deadline was only two days away.
“I worked for hours on end and didn’t sleep until dawn. When I was done, I put six designs into a special album. Then, the next morning, I immediately went to the post office and asked the staff to send the album to address specified in the ad,” he said.
“That’s it, one of my six models won the championship and is today the sovereign flag of the UAE.”
The UAE flag was first raised on December 2, 1971, when the union of the seven emirates was formally established.
“I was overjoyed when I saw Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, raise the flag I designed on TV. I started running quickly around the palace of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi half an hour.
“When I arrived, I stood by the palace walls and proudly saw the flags flying on the palace columns.”
While he has seen his flag designs fly high in the country, Al Maainah still has to wait for the official announcement that he has actually won the race.
“Some time after the league’s announcement, a jury member for the competition told me that my submitted design had been selected for the state flag. That day, the staff coordinated with the authorities and handed me the prize money — the amount 4,000 dirhams,” he said.
He said he was grateful for the award, but it could never match that historic flag-raising moment.
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