Wahat Al Karama (wahatalkarama.ae; free), which means "Oasis of Dignity" in Arabic, is a memorial to the Emirati martyrs who gave up their lives in service of their nation. Spread over 46,000 sq meters, the site consists of the Memorial, the Pavilion of Honour, the Memorial Plaza and a Visitors’ Centre. It was inaugurated on Commemoration Day in 2016 in honor of the UAE’s national heroes, including soldiers, police, diplomats and civilians.
The memorial consists of 31 colossal aluminum-clad tablets that lean on each other, rising from the earth at slight angles. Designed by British artist Idris Khan, the forms are deliberately independent but supportive, a symbol of the solidarity and unity between the UAE's leaders, its citizens and those that served. Walk slowly around to read the Armed Forces’ Pledge of Allegiance inscribed into the long spine at the base of the Memorial. The tablets are also engraved with poems and quotations by the rulers of the UAE, including the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Inside the polygonal Pavilion of Honour, a circular internal wall is clad with thousands of aluminum plates reclaimed from military vehicles, each bearing the name of an Emirati martyr. It's heavy, both literally and figuratively. The eight slabs on the roof represent each of the UAE’s seven emirates and the UAE’s heroes. At the center, glass panels etched with the Pledge of Allegiance rise from a shallow reflecting pool.
Visit on Commemoration Day (November 30) to witness ceremonies or choose a weekday morning for solitude.
