Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday shared a video thanking people for paying their own respects to the late Sheikh Khalifa

Sheikh Mohamed said on Twitter, “Across the country, people and communities have been paying their own respects to the late Sheikh Khalifa. This united display of affection and admiration is a fitting tribute to a beloved leader who dedicated his life to the happiness and wellbeing of the UAE and those who call it home.”

Earlier on May 18, Sheikh Mohamed said, “The heartfelt condolences of people from across the UAE and around the world have been a source of comfort to our family as we mourn the late Sheikh Khalifa. This response is a testament to his far-reaching impact and the respect that was felt for him both at home and abroad.”

And on May 17, he said, “With his enduring wisdom and generosity, my brother Khalifa Bin Zayed was the heart of our family and the guardian of our nation. He was loved greatly and will be deeply missed, but his remarkable legacy will live on forever. May God grant him eternal peace.”

Sheikh Khalifa passed away on Friday, May 13, 2022.

The UAE announced that the UAE will observe a forty-day state mourning with the flag flown at half-mast starting from May 13.

Sheikh Khalifa was born in Al Muwaiji Fort in Al Ain in 1948. His full name is Khalifa Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Bin Khalifa Bin Shakhbout Bin Theyab Bin Issa Bin Nahyan Bin Falah Bin Yas.

He is the eldest son of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

His mother is Sheikha Hessa Bint Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Al Muwaiji village was a centre of influence for the Al bu Falah subsection of the Bani Yas tribal confederation and the Al Nahyan ruling family.

Sheikh Khalifa belongs to the tribe of Bani Yas. Bani Yas is considered the mother tribe for most of the Arab tribes that settled in what is known today as the United Arab Emirates, which is historically known as 'Bani Yas Alliance'.

Sheikh Khalifa lived with his family Al Muwaiji Fort in Al Ain city. He received his school education in Al Ain at the city's first school built by his father.

Sheikh Khalifa spent most of his childhood in the oases of Al Ain and Al Buraimi with the company of his father who governed the Al Ain region at that time.