Teach Middle East Magazine Nov-Dec 2015 Issue 2 Volume 3 | Page 41

NATIONAL DAY 2015 HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai He has spoken extensively on the importance of education and has put in place several initiatives aimed at further enhancing the education system of the UAE. Sheikh Mohammed is a distinguished poet in classical Arabic and the Bedouin Nabati style, and has written several books of poetry. Below are some of his quotes on education. H is Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is recognised and celebrated for his many fruitful initiatives, which have led to Dubai’s growth into a global city. Sheikh Mohammed is the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE. The Union Accord February 18, 1968 Both Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid, rulers of the leading emirates held a historic meeting at al Semha on the border of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. They agreed to merge their emirates in a union and jointly conduct foreign affairs, defence, security and social services and adopt a common immigration policy. This agreement became known as the Union Accord. It can be considered as the first step towards uniting the Trucial Coast. In order to further strengthen the federation, they invited the other five Trucial States, Bahrain and Qatar to join the negotiations. “As we seek to create an environment conducive to innovation, creativity and outstanding performance to achieve the goals of our national agenda and Vision 2021, it is imperative to build a modern educational system to keep pace with developments in making the transition to smart government and open the doors of opportunity for our students to meet their needs and requirements and achieve a high level output in the educational process.” – The National “Everyone should shoulder his or her responsibilities. I urge educators to pay extra attention to talented students at December 1971 Following a period of negotiation, agreement was reached between the rulers of six of the emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Umm al-Qaiwain and Ajman) and the federation to be known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was formally established on 2 December 1971. The seventh emirate, Ra’s alKhaimah, formally acceded to the new federation on 10 February 1972. all schools and stages.” – The National “We do care about the future of the Emirati citizens and need to see their educational contributions, which would add to the country’s march towards renaissance, thus making a quantum leap in this sector inevitable.” – The National “Support for education is support for human progress, and appreciation of educators is a measure of those who seek to effect change in our life.” – MHESR “The Foundation’s mission is to invest in knowledge and human development, with a special focus on scientific research, education and support equal opportunities for personal development and success of our youth, as well as programs to promote scientists and intellectuals in Arab countries.” – MHESR Sources: The National, Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MHESR) and www.sheikhmohammed.com Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, was elected as Vice-President, a post which he held until his death in 1990, when his eldest son Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid was elected to succeed him. In a historic meeting on 20th May 1996, the Federal Supreme Council approved a draft amendment that made the country’s Provisional Constitution the permanent Constitution of the UAE, and named Abu Dhabi as the capital of the state. The Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was elected by his fellow Rulers as the first President of the UAE, a post to which he has been successively re-elected at fiveyear intervals. The then Ruler of Dubai, National Day Feature | | Nov - Dec 2015 | 39