Wahat Al Karama – meaning ‘the oasis of dignity’ – is a permanent memorial erected in honour of the UAE’s brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the name of service.
Today, as we observe Commemoration Day (formerly Martyr’s Day), we take a look at some interesting facts about this fascinating landmark…
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announces on 15th September 2015 the construction of a memorial place for the country’s fallen soldiers.
British artist Idris Khan came up with the design for Wahat Al Karama
The main memorial is designed with 31 huge aluminium-clad tablets in leaning stacks engraved with poems and quotes from notable UAE figureheads.
The circular internal wall in the Pavilion of Honour is fitted with over 2,800 aluminium plates with inscription of the names of UAE heroes, ranks, service branches, locations and dates of death.
Found at the centre of the Pavilion are seven large transparent glass panels representing the seven emirates.
The Memorial Plaza offers unobstructed views of the main memorial and the nearby Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
In total, the landmark sits on more than 46,000 sq. m of land space.
Wahat Al Karama was officially inaugurated on 30th November 2016 to mark Commemoration Day.
In 2017, the memorial was one of the winners of the 2017 American Architecture Prize under the cultural architecture category.
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