God has blessed the UAE with a leadership capable of making history and that bears the responsibility of planning for the future. National Day is a annual occasion to celebrate the establishment of our union. But this year is exceptional because 2018 is the Year of Zayed, the father of the UAE, the leader of its journey, and the inspiring teacher of all its achievements.
Established on December 2, 1971, the UAE became the example of using natural and material resources for nation-building and the well-being and happiness of the people.
Research on the genius of the founding leader Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan has not covered many of his qualities. Despite dozens of biographies about him and the journals and narratives of his contemporaries, there is still much to investigate concerning the social and political leadership of the founder father.
Back in the early days of the UAE, some foreign authors documented certain aspects of the personality of the founding leader. The leader was inspired by many historical and contemporary unification movements all over the world yet making sure not to repeat any mistakes of the past movements. The leader had enormous negotiating power which enabled him to build consensus and understanding in one of the most difficult stages of pre-union era. His skill in gathering consensus coupled with a will for unity yielded a model of sustainable nation-building.
The seeds of development lied in the strong foundation of the UAE. The basic rule for nation-building was investing in the most valuable asset: people. President of the State Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan made investing in people the one priority in all national strategic visions. The UAE has become a military force with a regional strategic weight. It has become a cultural and economic power with an integrated system of values established by Sheikh Zayed. The UAE became the world’s humanitarian aid capital, a global dialogue center and a model for tolerance, coexistence, and openness.
The founding leader once said, “The Union lives in me, in my heart, and in what is most precious in my existence. I would never allow neglecting it or compromising its future.” The country that was once a dream, the leader and the founding father shaped into a reality. For Sheikh Zayed, the Union was not only about a political entity but also about a values system that guarantees sustainability.
