Teach Middle East Magazine Issue 2 Volume 2 Nov-Dec 2014 | Page 35

43rd National Day THE UAE NATIONAL SYMBOLS… T he United Arab Emirates has several national symbols that are intricately tied to the country’s rich history, culture and traditions. As the UAE celebrates another year of remarkable growth facilitated by its leaders and achieved by both locals and expatriates, we take a look at the national symbols and what they mean. The Flag The UAE flag is a national symbol for the seven emirates. The colours red, green, black and white are Pan-Arab colours that represent the unity among the emirates. White represents peace, honesty and purity, green is for hope, love, prosperity and success, red is for sacrifice, bravery, strength and power and black represents dignity, authority and strength of mind. The Dallah Coffee Pot Many expatriates have come to enjoy the unique taste of Arabic coffee, which is widely served in both social and business settings. Arabic coffee is served from the dallah coffee pot, which is considered to be a strong symbol of local hospitality. This well-known traditional coffee pot is a metal pot that has a long beak-like spout specifically designed for serving Arabic coffee. Today, many locals have dallah pots in their homes that they use to entertain family members and other guests. The Dallah coffee pot is proudly displayed on the one-dirham coin. represents courage, strength and force. grace, pride, The Arabian Oryx This is the national animal of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar. Also known as the white oryx, their bodies are distinctly white, whilst their legs are dark brown as far down as the last joint above their hoofs, with the last part to the hoofs being white. The white body colour helps to deflect the sunlight. Both males and females carry a pair of symmetrical horns, very slightly curved to the back. The Arabian oryx was hunted in the wild to extinction over forty years ago. However, captive breeding and reintroduction programmes have resulted in a th