UAE ONE Soars Over Saga: First Arab Balloon Reaches Asia’s Premier Festival

The UAE Balloon Team makes history at Japan's largest ballooning event, carrying the nation's emblem and message of peace to 800,000 spectators across Asia

Above the valleys and plains of Saga prefecture, a solitary balloon rises into the autumn sky, its envelope emblazoned with the colours and insignia of the United Arab Emirates. This ascent marks far more than a sporting milestone: it represents the first time an Arab nation has taken part in the Saga International Balloon Fiesta, Asia’s largest gathering of hot-air balloon enthusiasts and one of the world’s most respected ballooning competitions.

The UAE ONE balloon arrived at the 39th edition of the festival as part of a remarkable international congregation. Across the skies above Saga, fifty teams from the United Kingdom, Poland, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, the United States, Australia, Brazil, China and Singapore competed and collaborated through a series of three rigorous competitions. For eight hundred thousand Japanese spectators drawn to the region, the event unfolds as a celebration of human endeavour, with illuminated balloon displays, drone shows and a closing ceremony with fireworks creating an atmosphere of wonder and spectacle.

Captain Abdulaziz Nasser Al Mansoori, President of the UAE Balloon Team, spoke of his profound sense of achievement in flying the national flag over these historic skies. His presence and participation, he reflected, offered Japanese and Asian audiences a direct encounter with the values of generosity, openness and cultural embrace that define Emirati society. The balloon itself became a messenger, carrying not merely national colours but a statement about the UAE’s commitment to dialogue and peace across continents.

The participation reflects a broader pattern of the UAE’s engagement with the world. As we reported in September, Japan’s Justice Minister had reaffirmed the comprehensive partnership between the two nations, underscoring the depth of bilateral relations that extend far beyond formal diplomacy into cultural and sporting spheres.

For the UAE Balloon Team, this appearance in Saga joins a growing catalogue of international achievements and represents the leadership’s unwavering confidence in Emiratis to carry their nation’s reputation and values to regional and international platforms. The balloon, climbing into the Japanese sky with its peaceful message, becomes both competitor and ambassador.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This historic participation strengthens the UAE’s position as a nation that embraces both tradition and innovation, competing at the highest levels of international sport whilst advancing cultural understanding across continents. The Saga International Balloon Fiesta represents one of Asia’s most prestigious sporting events, and the UAE’s presence there signals the nation’s growing prominence in aviation and sporting excellence on a truly global stage.

For Abu Dhabi specifically, the achievement reinforces the emirate’s identity as a centre of ambitious endeavour and international cooperation. The success of the UAE Balloon Team speaks to the calibre of individuals the Emirates produces and the leadership’s commitment to nurturing national talent, enabling Emiratis to represent their country with distinction wherever they travel and compete in the world.

Source: WAM (https://www.wam.ae/en/article/c31xbye-uae-one-balloon-takes-skies-japan-first-arab)