An exhibition which highlights the work of the UAE Armed Forces and the brave men and women who voluntarily devote their lives to the homeland, recently opened at Etihad Museum in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The exhibition, ‘Protectors of the Nation: Sacrifice and Giving’, also charts the formation of the nation’s armed forces alongside the UAE’s own development following the Union Agreement signed on  December 2, 1971, reported Emirates news agency Wam.

Muna Faisal Al Gurg, managing director of the Dubai Museums Company, an entity managed by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, said: "We would like to thank our partners for their valuable contributions to this exhibition, which appreciates and recognises the vital role of the UAE Armed Forces as well as their humanitarian support of other countries, led by the Ministry of Defence and the General Command of the Armed Forces, the Military History Museum and National Archives Centre, and the main sponsor Pure Health."

Colonel Dr Saeed Al Kalbani, manager of the Military History Museum and National Archives Centre, said, "This exhibition is a major national monument that celebrates the establishment of the UAE and also documents the nation’s rich history for future generations. It showcases the history and development of the UAE federation itself, followed by the history of the UAE Armed Forces, from their formation to the international humanitarian missions they are currently undertaking."

This is the second temporary exhibition hosted by the Etihad Museum and follows the ‘Emirates to the World: Postal History from 1909 to Unification’ exhibition hosted earlier in the year, which featured a wide variety of events and activities.

The new exhibition highlights the UAE's leading efforts in spreading tolerance, brotherhood and positive values that enhance community happiness across the world, as demonstrated by the participation of the UAE Armed Forces in many global relief campaigns and peacekeeping initiatives. Thanks to this strategy, the UAE has become a humanitarian role model for the international community, the report said.