Al Ittihad celebrates 40th anniversary with brand new look today

The oldest newspaper in the UAE now boasts a fresh editorial style that will be more photographically-led than the previous design and easier to navigate. The five key editorial sections (UAE; Arabs & The World; Business; Sport: Points of View) remain in place and have been redesigned to reflect the new look and feel of the publication.

The first copy of Al Ittihad rolled off a newly imported printing press in Abu Dhabi 40 years ago today. Launched by the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the then Ruler of Abu Dhabi, the first publication of Al Ittihad predated the formation of the United Arab Emirates. Since then, the newspaper has covered the birth of the nation and the unfolding story of the UAE as it grows into an emerging global business centre and tourism destination, watched by the rest of the world.

Commenting on the newspaper's 40th birthday, H. E. Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Chairman of ADMC, said:

"As the first newspaper to ever launch in the UAE, thereby kick-starting the development of our media industry, Al Ittihad holds a special place in our national culture. Over 40 years it has chronicled the development of our nation and today's unveiling of its new world-class design on its 40th anniversary represents both a milestone in its own history and an important step forward in the emergence of Abu Dhabi as a regional media hub."

Al Ittihad's website has also been redesigned in line with the new look for the newspaper. The popular website receives tenths of thousands visits per day from Arab readers in the UAE and beyond keen to catch up on local, regional and international news. Reinforcing its position as a pioneer of the UAE media industry, Al Ittihad was the first UAE newspaper to launch an online edition, back in 1996.

Commenting on the launch of the new design, Al Ittihad Editor-in-Chief Rashed Al Uraimi said: "We have spent a lot of time listening to what our readers want from us and we understand that their needs for information, and how they want to receive it, are changing fast. Our new look has been born out of feedback from readers and our desire to celebrate the newspaper's milestone anniversary by ensuring its look is fresh and contemporary."

He continues: "Our photography is also an area where we're going to offer something new and different that aims at pleasing our readers. We will be focusing more on featuring images that help to tell the story, meaning the newspaper can be digested faster to suit our busier lives. We're sure this new style is going to be a big hit with our readers."

Available throughout the UAE, Al Ittihad is published seven days a week.