The 40-day mourning period in the United Arab Emirates being observed for the loss of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who died on May 13 at the age of 73, will officially end today, June 21.
Flags on public buildings will be raised around the country at 9 am on Wednesday, June 22, to mark the end of the mourning period.
The Ministry of Presidential Affairs stated in a statement that the period of 40-day of mourning would conclude at the end of the day on Tuesday, June 21.
All the work around the nation was suspended for over three days immediately after the demise of the former President of the UAE.
Flags have remained at half-staff since then. The period was planned as a mark of respect and life around the UAE but became a more sombre tone.
Sheikh Khalifa was the nation’s second president after the Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was elected the new President by the Federal Supreme Council last month.
Sheikh Khalifa became the President in 2004 after his father, the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was the founder of the UAE, was the first president since the nation began in 1971.
Sheikh Khalifa was born in 1948 as the first son of Sheikh Zayed and became the second president of the country and the 16th Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Khalifa has handled over the restructuring of both the government of Abu Dhabi and the federal government, seeing an accelerated development of the country and working to assure a decent life for all those residing in the country.
As soon as he was chosen as the President, he established a strategic plan to acquire sustainable development for the nation, prioritizing the wellness of the residents and citizens, a plan which has succeeded.