Kindle the fire of knowledge

A man who dedicated his life to improving his country and humanity in general was born in 1918.                                                          An intriguing personality, there is still much we do not know about this leader. He was an inspiration, not only for the citizens for the UAE, but the wind of his dynamic rule carried its scent to places like Pakistan, London and even Egypt, our neighbours, naming famous monuments and even airports after this famous personality. Famously known to be one of the world's most approachable leaders, it was Sheikh Zayed's vision that has made UAE what it is today - a happy land full of opportunities. Why was he so popular amongst everyone? Why was he regarded as one of the greatest people of the new world? It is perhaps, a rather unknown fact, but HH was also the author of some great quotes. Here are some of our best picks:

ON DEMOCRACY:

“I am not imposing change on anyone. That is tyranny. All of us have our opinions, and these opinions can change. Sometimes we put all opinions together and then extract from them a single point of view. This is our democracy.”

THE REAL SPIRIT BEHIND THE PROGRESS:

"No matter how many buildings, foundations, schools and hospitals we build, or how many bridges we raise, all these are material entities. The real spirit behind the progress is the human spirit, the able man with his intellect and capabilities."

THE MEDIA:

"The Press has the duty as well as the right to criticise. We welcome constructive criticism."

ON EDUCATION:

"Knowledge is the only weapon to guarantees a future. Cultivate your manners, be obedient to your teachers. The state places all its hopes in you and believes that it is investing in our most important natural resource."

From flora to fauna, to the young generation, to the old, and the development and culture, his brain was always storming with new ideas, for the benefit of all of his citizens, and he always kept the new world in mind, because he believed in hard work, dedication and commitment.

Our leader truly was an inspirational one, and we believe that by keeping the city clean and green, we can salute HH and he can see his Dubai through our eyes.

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An original artwork and paragraph by Taraasha Jetwani