The United Arab Emirates officially celebrated the first holiday in honor of its women Friday. In particular the day honored women in the military as well as the mothers of soldiers who had died in combat.
In Abu Dhabi, a parade was held on Yas Mall, where hundreds of residents came out to participate in the festivities.
Here are some of the highlights of the event in pictures and video clips.
Patriotism was on proud display for the festivities
A special logo was even created to commemorate the historic event
Yas Mall was set for the event with all the necessary arrangements
The Emirati JiuJitsu Federation presented special demonstrations for the event in conjunction with the Olympics committee
Women were honored for their service to their country
The police joined in the festivities by honoring female officers
A group of dancers even started a flashmob in the mall to celebrate
And, of course, women wanted to show off their style and patriotism during the event
Women may still have a ways to go to stand on equal footing with men in the UAE, but it's amazing to see this positive step on Friday and the progress that has been made over the past few years.