The UAE loves its royals, and for good reason.
The Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, is a driven and motivated man who has helped Dubai grow into what it is today.
He’s also a man of wisdom – much of which he has bestowed upon us throughout the last 12 months.
Here are 18 of our favourite quotes from Sheikh Mohammed this year…
On invincibility
“The heart of the UAE beats to the rhythm of its leaders, government and people; all united and invincible as one nation.”
On youth empowerment
“We steadfastly support our youth, and will empower them to achieve the highest levels of innovation and creativity in all fields.”
On the UAE’s talent
“The UAE has cemented its position as a global hub for knowledge and culture, attracting some of the world’s brightest talent.”
On the nation’s tolerance
“What makes us proud is not the height of our buildings, but rather the openness and tolerance of our nation.”
On thriving
“Our pride stems from the fact that we are a country where everyone thrives equally regardless of their differences.”
On shaping the future
“Our goal in the UAE is to shape the future… We have a ministry, future accelerators, national plan and passion to succeed.”
On the importance of preparation
“Preparing for our future is a necessity, not a luxury. Unprepared governments will suffer from missed opportunities and lost wealth.”
On creating a sound envinronment
“Our absolute priority is the benefit of our people and creating an environment for our citizens and their families to enjoy a decent life.”
On pushing towards the future
“Each day brings a new achievement for the UAE as we realise our ambitions; each new project we complete pushes us towards the future.”
On intelligence through tolerance
“We must strive for an intellectual and cultural renaissance recognising that development and stability is possible only through tolerance.”
On the UAE’s next generation
“Most of our nation is made up of our youth. Our future is in their hands. We are a young country, proud of its youth.”
On humanitarian work
“Humanitarian work is a common language that defines civilised humans from all over the world irrespective of race, religion or nationality.”
On providing aid
“As a proudly humane nation, the UAE provides more aid as a percentage of its GDP than any nation.”
On realising dreams
“Dreams begin with ideas, a word, an image or even a postage stamp. As generations work to fulfill our dreams, we develop concrete realities.”
On building a model of tolerance
“Our goal is to protect our society from the winds of ignorance and hatred blowing around us. We aim to build a model of tolerance in our region.”
On eliminating poverty
“The fastest way to end poverty is to eliminate ignorance. We plan to move from feeding the hungry to nurturing minds.”
On the UAE’s women
“Behind every great community stand great women, leading each generation and raising our families and nation higher.”
On the youth of the nation
“Our young country was built by the hands and achievements of youth. Youth is our strength and speed is our treasure for the future.”
