The real wealth is hard work that benefits the person and the community: Shaikh Zayed
The Year of Zayed is not only about remembering the Father of the Nation, but also the virtues he lived by and instilled within the heart of the country. One of these many virtues that the founding father of the UAE so strongly lived by was human development. “The real wealth is hard work that benefits the person and the community. It is immortal and eternal and forms the value of the human and the nation.”
Both the UAE and JBS (Jumeirah Baccalaureate School) have always held human development in high regard. Here at JBS, we have our very own initiative where we aim to help the community using a variety of different methods — whether it be by organising an event to raise awareness or teaching others new skills. This initiative goes by the name of Creativity, Activity and Service, CAS for short. It is one of the core components of the Diploma programme and every IB student must organise his/her own set of activities which fulfil the eight learning outcomes.
The eight learning outcomes that can be associated with CAS activities are ethics, global value, initiative, challenge, new skills, awareness, commitment and collaboration. Different activities have different learning outcomes and by the end of the academic year, all of them must be fulfilled. This type of initiative has a very strong bond to Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s beliefs and morals. He has always stated that hard work was incredibly important to him; he believed that one that works hard would be the one to succeed.
Shaikh Zayed found fulfilment in hard work that benefits oneself and the community. In 2018, we hope to ensure that human development initiatives have a ‘Burj’ size impact — in making the Year of Zayed a year of development but, most importantly, of hard work.
The eight learning outcomes that can be associated with CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service) activities are: Ethics, global value, initiative, challenge, new skills, awareness, commitment and collaboration.
JBS seeks wisdom
A meeting of minds; an afternoon with Khamis Bin Butti Al Rumaithy.
When people think of the UAE as a country, the skyscrapers, Burj Khalifa and shopping and luxury immediately come to mind. Although these things do make the UAE interesting, it is what lies behind the privileges and luxuries that really matters: our core values as a nation. We are not defined by tall buildings or shopping malls, but by our core values and ideas. Shaikh Zayed made it his life’s mission to make sure that these values are understood and applied throughout the country in the form of respect, wisdom, hope, and cooperation between us. As a generation, we are often criticised for not being ‘wise’ enough by our elders.
The way I see it, wisdom is not limited to following tradition and doing things ‘normally’. True wisdom can be summarised by learning from the past, living in the present, and looking forward to the future.
In an interview done by our grade 9 students, Saif Al Shunnar and Essa Al Gurg, with Khamis Bin Butti Al Rumaithy, former minister of the Office of His Highness the President of the UAE and close friend of Shaikh Zayed, he reminded us that in order to follow Shaikh Zayed’s footsteps and achieve the goals that he had planned for us, we have to “learn the past of Shaikh Zayed, the country, and how much has been done, and the way in which he built this country and continue this way, you have to learn about his thoughts, his wisdom, his wishes for his country”.
To be able to achieve these goals, we must face challenges and persevere during times of setbacks with willpower and determination. In our situation, being wise means taking advantage of our privileges and differences in order to learn and better ourselves, and in turn, the environment and people around us or as Al Rumaithy puts it: “You guys are the young generation! Don’t take life lightly, don’t say, “oh life right now is easy and we will neglect all these things”. No. You must see, consider and think.”
In the same way that pearl divers and petrol workers helped build the country we love and live in today, it is our responsibility to continue to build and develop this country. According to Al Rumaithy, “people who really love Shaikh Zayed should follow his path, and the way he laid down for us to secure this country.”
The project team
Aya Abdel Rahman, Grade 11
Khalid Al Araimi, Grade 10
Alisher Serikov, Grade 9
Thani Al Suwaidi, Grade 9
Seif Al Shunnar, Grade 9
Zayna Mansoor, Grade 7
