Sheikh Zayed memorial opened
ABU DHABI, February 27, 2018
The Founder’s Memorial, a permanent national tribute commemorating the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was inaugurated at a glittering ceremony held on the Abu Dhabi corniche last night (February 26).
A key highlight at the memorial is 'The Constellation', a monumental artwork by public artist Ralph Helmick that depicts a dynamic three-dimensional portrait of Sheikh Zayed, and can be experienced differently from multiple viewing points around the memorial and from other vantage points, offering a series of infinitely evolving personal encounters with his image.
The Constellation is made up of more than 1,300 geometric shapes suspended on more than 1,000 cables. At night, these shapes shine like stars, evoking the timelessness of Sheikh Zayed’s vision as a guiding light for the UAE people.
The ceremony took place in the presence of members of the UAE’s royal families, ministers, dignitaries and VIPs, who gathered at the site on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, while members of the public across the country and the region watched the poignant occasion on TV and online.
The grand ceremony included a performance featuring a 40-strong choir performing Allah Ya Dar Zayed, as well as beautiful new arrangements of other traditional songs and music, and a touching compilation of Sheikh Zayed's performances of the traditional Ayala dance.