Fifty years have passed since the establishment of our blessed Union, which has transformed the desert sands into cities that are among the most beautiful, civilized and advanced in the world. The UAE has succeeded in raising generations capable of planning, working, creating and producing, thus implementing the thought of the founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
He said, “True wealth does not lie in material potential alone. The true wealth of a nation lies in its people, who shape the future of their nation.” Over the past five decades, tremendous qualitative achievements have been made in the various fields of development, labor, production, culture, art, science, technology and space.
The National Day will be a new beginning for the next 50 years, in which the UAE will proceed according to a careful and thoughtful planning embodied in the document “Principles of 50,” which points the way to the future with precision and clarity. Regionally and internationally, the UAE has become a beacon, a model and a symbol for the future.
UNESCO recently declared the UAE’s National Day as World Future Day. The UAE is now officially recognized as a global leader in shaping the future. The organization’s choice of this day reflects the international community’s belief that the UAE, with all its ambitions and aspirations, is a powerhouse for the future.
The UAE embodies the inspiration and motivation for the new generations and the entire humanity. The UAE is a catalyst for nations on their way to the future, in line with the inspiring vision of Zayed’s dream of the land of coexistence and tolerance. The UAE is not synonymous with the traditional goals for the future.
They represent a reality based on the challenges and successes of the past. Their future dreams are rooted in scientific planning, promising innovation prospects, creativity, and a vast qualitative legacy of achievements that exceed expectations.
The choice for them to play a leading role in the future of the world is a choice in the interest of the world, which needs inspiring role models that nurture hopes and give everyone the strength and will to overcome challenges and obstacles. There are many examples of the UAE shaping the future at home and being able to share and pass on its experience to countries around the world that need it.
Yesterday was the experience of the construction and reconstruction phase with all its difficult development tasks. Today, the exploration of Mars, hosting Expo 2020 and becoming a soft power model for modern states. The UAE is a school of thought for any country looking to the future and using its proper tools.
The UAE was built from the beginning on the motto of the state’s founder: “We build the future based on knowledge.” This motto underpins the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
“What boosts our confidence in the future is the fact that we are starting from a solid foundation that we have built through years of hard work and planning, which provides us with all the conditions for a renaissance and a leading role,” he said. The country has a great legacy from which all emerging economies can learn and benefit.
The UAE does not hesitate to provide assistance, support and know-how transfer to all nations of the world without exception. The future is not only a concept that resonates in the UAE’s strategic discourse, but it is also embedded in executive long-term plans. The UAE has been carefully planning for the future for many years.
Plans are in place for e-transformation and the UAE’s National Digital Government Strategy 2025. A clear translation from HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in which he said, “The future belongs to those who can imagine it, create it and make it happen.”
The future in the UAE is enshrined in the Mohammed Bin Zayed Council’s Future Generations initiative and the seventh principle of the Declaration of Principles of 50, among others, which states that “the UAE’s digital, technological and scientific excellence will shape its development and economic frontiers, making it the next capital of the future as a talent, business and investment hub.”
Indeed, as a result, the UAE has strategies for the future in various fields such as education, space, business, advanced science, energy, health, economy, environment, food and water security, and artificial intelligence. There are also integrated systems and specialized strategies for the way forward.
This involves early identification of opportunities and challenges in various areas of the country’s life, development of future models in various fields, strengthening national potentials in future disciplines, and cultivating specialized partnerships in this field worldwide. The UAE is the home of the future and the locomotive of global progress, eager to share its knowledge.
A state that aims to be number one in the world is the best compass to lead the world’s efforts and aspirations for the future. The future does not wait, it can be designed and built today, as HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said. There is no better example than the UAE to chart and build tomorrow.
