Musicians representing about 190 nations have been brought together in the Dubai desert to perform an unprecedented rendition of the UAE national anthem, as part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s celebrations to mark the 47th UAE National Day and the Year of Zayed.
Filmed by the UAE’s first female director, the award-winning Nayla Al Khaja, the orchestral performance of Ishy Bilady – which translates as ‘Long Live My Country’ – includes seven Emirati musicians, representing each of the UAE’s emirates.
The video begins with a shot of the beautiful Dubai desert landscape with an empty stage. The seven Emirati musicians then take their position before being joined onstage by a choir made up of a diverse group of people from across the UAE, and the rest of the orchestra, who begin to tune their instruments.
The orchestra then performs a stirring rendition of Ishy Bilady, while an Emirati Expo 2020 volunteer presents the lyrics of the national anthem in sign language.