When I was younger, my father would always say to us that no matter where we were in the world, our actions reflected the UAE and that each Emirati was an ambassador for the country.
Although I spent most of my life living abroad – being the daughter of two ambassadors – emulating Emirati and Islamic traditions and values was a major element that underscored how I was raised. This left two lasting impressions: first, (revealing that it was a great parenting technique) it meant that I was always trying to make sure that I was on my best behaviour and, second, it helped me get over my childhood shyness and made me willing to engage with strangers to learn about their culture and tell them about mine.
This was especially important while I was growing up, as the UAE was still largely unknown. In the last decade I have watched with pride as Dubai and now Abu Dhabi have been placed on the global map. The UAE increasingly hosts international conferences, sporting events, concerts, and is even regularly becoming the backdrop for many blockbuster movies.
As the country approaches its 44th birthday, I believe it is essential to reflect on our history and the vision and philosophy of the late Sheikh Zayed, our Founding Father. His vision was driven by a passionate belief in education, conservation, environmental sustainability, heritage and culture, all underpinned by his humanitarianism.
He was a visionary who was able to plan for the needs of the present and future generations, all while placing value on the past. He enshrined in the UAE a spirit of responsibility, of camaraderie and collaboration. He said that “real wealth is the hard work that benefits both a person and the community. It is immortal and eternal and becomes the value of the person and the nation.” This gave us wide-reaching goals and helped us stay community-orientated. He stressed over and over again that the “best investment of wealth was in creating cultured and educated citizens”.
As we move forward as a nation it is important to keep these ideas in mind. He lay the groundwork that shaped us into global citizens and that provided us with the skills and knowledge to prosper.
Whether you are Emirati by blood or by love of this land, it has become even more crucial that we all learn to come together and work towards upholding these values. This is especially important in a time where there are many parts of the world that are so fractured along racial, religious and ethnic lines. It is important to learn to keep an open heart and fight hatred and ignorance with education, love and tolerance.
We live in an extremely multicultural place and we should take advantage of the opportunity to build bridges. We need to be aware of maintaining a language of dialogue and understanding and remember that all those who call the UAE home are instrumental to its collective success.
As we look back on how the UAE was able to grow so quickly, we should appreciate the emphasis that Sheikh Zayed placed on keeping in mind how our grandparents suffered and what they did for us despite their lack of resources. We need to embrace that same determination of a people who turned an arid desert into what it is today. It is natural for things to change and for us to adapt along the way, but as long as we can continue to appreciate and carry on the memories of those before us, then we are honoring our past. Because, as Sheikh Zayed said, “a country is not measured by the size of its area on the map. A country is truly measured by its heritage and culture.”
So maybe this year, in addition to participating in silly-string fights along the Corniche, take a trip to the Qasr Al Hosn Festival or the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival to learn more about the UAE’s cultural legacy, which shows us that the country’s progress was not a coincidence, but a result of our forefathers’ achievements.
Fatima Al Shamsi is an Emirati commentator and frequent contributor to The National.