10 inspiring quotes from the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
In his words…
UAE President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan passed away today, Friday, May 13. He was 73 years old. Sheikh Khalifa became the second president of the UAE and the 16th ruler of Abu Dhabi on November 3, 2004. He was the eldest son of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Founding Father.
On the growth of the UAE
“Thanks to the competence, love of God, our country’s security and stability, endowed wealth, integrated infrastructure and quality services, the UAE turned into the world’s renowned destination for tourism, investment and business management: the interface of choice for hosting major cultural events, artistic and sports, in the world.”
On the people of UAE
“We are proud of all UAE residents, and their vital contributions to development and nation-building.”
“Human capital is the real wealth of this country, before and after oil. Serving the interests of citizens is the goal that we strive for every day. Building human resources is central to comprehensive social and economic development.”
On tolerance
“The UAE and tolerance are two sides of the same coin and is an embodiment of people’s lifelong endeavour to achieve through history.”
On the Year of the 50th
“We are living in a rapidly changing world. Amid this change, there are opportunities up for grabs to drive innovation and creativity. Therefore, we’ll have to double our efforts to generate novel ideas, and quality initiatives to preserve our heritage and values and protect the cultural diversity of our society. As such, these initiatives should contribute to creating a better tomorrow with a brighter future for our nation.”
On the future
“Preparing for the future – near or far – starts today, not tomorrow.”
“Any individual state however prominent cannot successfully face the challenges of the modern era, except by enlightened scientific and cultural prosperity”
On learning from his father
In a statement issued in 1990, Sheikh Khalifa said: “My father is my teacher. I learn something from him every day, follow his path and absorb from him his values, and the need for patience and prudence in all things.”
On education
“Educating the individual is this country’s most valuable investment. It represents the foundation for progress and development”
On women empowerment
“Opportunities made to women are not dictated by favour or legal preference, they are in fact, the nature of things. The Emirati woman, before being a minister or deputy, is a mother, the head of a family, she is hard-working, a doctor, a teacher, a poet, a writer, a contributor to social activities”
On success
“In the UAE, economic growth indicators, although very important, have never been measured by the amount of success made in the goods produced or services offered but by the quality of life and the added value offered.”