Abu Dhabi, 16 March 2019: One of the Arabic music worlds most beloved stars, Rabeh Sager, thrilled more than 10,000 of his fans all gathered at the Main stage at the Mother of the Nation Festival last night with a memorable headline performance on the Festivals Main Stage. The show attracted a large and enthusiastic audience, and took place between the two opening displays of the UAEs first-ever Fireworks Competition.

Sager, who has been consistently recognised as one of the finest voices of his generation, performed songs from his four-decade career including Ya Nasiem Alail, Biscat, Sabrien, Al Mahabamin Allah, and Wa Fakarta Aghiezuk to a warm reception from the crowd.

Its always a pleasure to visit the UAE, where audiences have been a great source of encouragement and inspiration to me over the years, said Sager. Its truly been an honour to headline this wonderful event, which promotes regional values that are especially relevant during the UAEs national Year of Tolerance. Occasions such as these demonstrate how the universal language of music transcends cultural barriers it was a wonderful experience to see people of all backgrounds enjoying the show.

We are proud to welcome stars of the calibre of Rabeh Sager to the Mother of the Nation Festival, and delighted to see such an impressive turn out for this evenings concert, said Ameera Al Mazrouie, Festivals Development Head at Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). This years exceptional line-up reflects our ambition to offer a unique experience for residents and visitors alike, in line with our goal of establishing Abu Dhabi as an entertainment destination of distinction.

The Festivals Fireworks Competition got off to an exciting start last night with two 15-minute displays from the Canadian team BOOM BOOM POW, delighting the audience before and after Sagers concert. Visitors also enjoyed Fahad Al Arifs performance after Sagers show at the main stage, while the Happiness Stage featured rousing performances from the Khaleeji Band and Loud Arabia. Over on the GASTROBEATS Stage, the crowds were kept entertained by Rony Sarkis and MONTEATH. Tonight, visitors can also look forward to the second round of the Fireworks Competition, where Royal Fireworks from the Netherlands will have the opportunity to dazzle the judges with two 15-minute displays.

The music and entertainment are set to continue at the Mother of the Nation Festival tomorrow Sunday with performances from Jawaher as well as the Special Olympics Kayaking Awards ceremony taking place on the Main Stage, and the Fantasy Stories The Fairytale of Alice and Firestorm on the Happiness Stage. Meanwhile, GASTROBEATS will welcome Aleksandra Krstic and We Speak in Colours. The Festival is set to welcome popular International DJ Nicky Romero to Abu Dhabi for the first time on Friday, March 22rd at 10 pm at the Main Stage.