From building state-of-the-art-infrastructure to building great minds, the UAE has made giant strides in less than 50 years. It has exploited its potential and utilised its wealth in the best possible fashion.
The UAE has emerged a winner, topping the world in all spheres.
I still remember days before the Union was formed; how we lived and were raised in modest homes — without electricity and water.
We lived a primitive life.
And then we witnessed how our country transformed — one step at a time; in record time. Today, we see a modern wonder with sophisticated, efficient services.
Yet, when we close our eyes for a while, we ask ourselves: Are we living in a dream or is this reality?
In the past, it would take several days — not less than a week — to renew a driving licence. It would involve taking our papers from one traffic department to another.
Today, we renew our driving licence at the touch of a button through a smart application on our mobile phones.
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The same applies to paying electricity bills and conducting bank transactions or availing other services.
Today, we can do all of this without leaving the comfort of our homes or offices — thanks to the wondrous development our country has achieved.
It feels as if a time machine has made us travel 50 light years forward rather than 50 Gregorian years.
We are living a dream
The current generations, our sons and grandsons, who we can say were born with silver spoons in their mouths, have not realised or understood what their country has achieved simply because they found themselves cocooned by comfort and luxury because of the nation’s remarkable transformation.
Our generation, our fathers and forefathers, were raised in the barren desert and then suddenly we found ourselves in the midst of great prosperity.
And that is the reason why we immensely appreciate and value our country’s beautiful journey — we have travelled, as if in a dream.
Such a massive transformation in our lives is priceless.
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It has reached fruition because of leaders such as the founder of this modern state, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wisely harnessed resources to build a modern country by laying a practical foundation based on humanitarian principles.
The late Shaikh Zayed’s efforts transformed the land into a cohesive country, becoming a role model for founders of other countries. The change in our lives has not been merely material.
It has affected our minds and spirits — we have become more open to others, more ambitious, more willing to accept challenges, more conscious and more keen to develop.
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It goes without saying that our culture could have made us insular, introverted and isolated as has been the case with others.
But thanks to our culture of tolerance, which was firmly established by our founding fathers and adopted by the people, we have become open to others.
We have accepted them and integrated with them to the point where there are millions from diverse backgrounds and hundreds of nationalities living amongst us.
They have become a part of the development process of our country. We have nothing but love and appreciation for them.
Open and accepting of others
This openness in culture has helped us learn and acquire new skills. It has provided UAE residents jobs and wealth and offered channels for creativity. UAE residents are an integral part of the nation’s landscape.
It is true that with money you can build modern and advanced cities, but you cannot build a tolerant community, which is open and accepting of others.
This has been possible because of our deeply-rooted culture and tolerance that has been ingrained in us.
More importantly, we learnt sublime humanitarian values from our fathers who lived and worked with the newcomers to the land before we met wealth and witnessed the birth of the union.
As we have been raised to be tolerant, we have also been raised to respect and protect the law because of which we feel safe and secure today.
We also learnt the value of work without which we would not have achieved such high living standards that we are blessed with today.
Hence, our community is more cohesive than ever and our country has become a magnet, attracting people from all corners of the world, who come looking for work and business.
In recent years, more and more people have come seeking medical treatment and education.
Millions of tourists flock to the UAE every year.
Our visitors will find, besides cutting-edge services, a welcoming, loving and harmonious society. And this is what every visitor wants to feel — being valued and respected as a human being.
Rule of law
Many years ago, when we spoke of our National Day, we used to celebrate the growth in infrastructure and various sectors. But today we also take pride in our humanitarian and cultural achievements.
Hence, it is not strange for our wise leadership to create ministries for tolerance, happiness, artificial intelligence and other spheres that have something to do with mankind, his existence and hopes.
What is the use of modern infrastructure without the rule of law and respect for rights?
And what is the benefit of technology without a human touch?
As His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, always says: “This is just the beginning.”
We have a long way to go to achieve the aspirations of the UAE people and take them to new heights; to take the lead among nations so that our people enjoy security and happiness and achieve their loftiest goals.
There is nothing impossible for the UAE that has been transformed from a barren desert into astonishing, marvellous cities while marching ahead towards the future based on a wise vision, tireless leadership, loyal people and firmly-established humanitarian foundations.
From a wild herb in a harsh desert into a global flower in full bloom in all its glory — this is the story of the UAE.
