Dubai Ushers In A Month-Long Celebration of National Identity & Cultural Pride

Photo: @asmaalmatrooshi, Instagram

In a city that knows how to impress, Dubai is resetting the bar, not through excess, but through intention. This November, the emirate celebrates its second-ever National Month, a four-week experience of reflection, unity, and national identity, culminating in Union Day, December 2, 2025.

Starting with Flag Day on November 3, the city will come alive with a curated calendar of community, cultural, and creative activations carefully designed to honour the UAE’s storied past but inspire what’s truly exceptional.

Led by Brand Dubai, the creative department of the Government of Dubai Media Office, this year’s campaign is a tribute to the UAE’s remarkable journey—a moment to pause, reflect, and proudly look ahead.

For the second consecutive year, the campaign #ZayedAndRashid will honour the nation’s founding fathers, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, whose dreams turned into one of the world’s most vibrant, thriving nations. “A powerful demonstration of national unity,” stated HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who announced the campaign’s return. “It is a true manifestation of national values anchored in loyalty and belonging.”

While the lineup remains under wraps, if the previous year is anything to go by, it will be incredible, with lighting installations, inspiring performances, and moving flag displays at a city-wide scale. Expect emirate-wide take-overs, public art initiatives, immersive encounters, and meaningful moments that invite ageless play.

But National Month is about more than the show of it all. It’s also about the substance. Because of support from Proudly from Dubai, the spotlight will shine on the city’s emerging youth and entrepreneurs, amplifying local voices and laying the groundwork for new storytelling.

The initiative will bring together more than 200 organisations, creatives, and community members working together to co-create, co-imagine, and co-shape a collective future. It is a festival, but it’s also a conversation.

National Month is a love letter to the UAE, in lights, stories, and community. Be it filled by the illuminated landmarks, visiting a cultural pop-up experience, or just being in the moment, this will be a time to feel part of something larger.