UAE launches Emirati National Identity Strategy

Announced by Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, during a keynote session titled “Legacy and Responsibility,” the strategy establishes a national framework to strengthen the Emirati identity across all sectors and daily life.

It seeks to reinforce social cohesion, promote national belonging, and project the UAE’s cultural values globally.

The strategy’s vision centres on deepening the sense of identity rooted in Emirati values, traditions, and heritage, positioning family and social unity as pillars of a resilient society.

Developed with input from over 40 federal and local entities, it defines a unified framework built around three pillars: defining core values, embedding national identity across all sectors, and establishing a governance model supported by a National Identity Index.

The Emirati national identity is defined through six key elements:

• Islamic values and ethics.
• The Arabic language and Emirati dialect.
• The Union and homeland.
• Heritage, customs, and traditions.
• History, geography, and collective memory;
• The Emirati family.

Five core values underpin these elements: respect and humility, ambition and perseverance, belonging and responsibility, cohesion and coexistence, and generosity and humanity.

Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi said the strategy “transforms identity from a cultural concept into a social practice embedded in everyday life,” reflecting the leadership’s vision of nurturing generations deeply rooted in their values and heritage.

The strategy includes 13 initiatives covering education, family, culture, media, and the economy. These include integrating identity themes into school curricula, establishing a cultural heritage law, developing a national cultural registry, and promoting Emirati dialect and hospitality.

A National Identity Committee will oversee implementation and ensure coordination across institutions, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to unity, shared values, and long-term national cohesion.