“You are the spirit of the nation”: Dubai ruler sends heartfelt message to UAE president

“You are the spirit of the nation,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum told UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a deeply personal message praising the country’s direction.

The Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai addressed the president as his “brother, friend and companion on life’s journey.” He described Sheikh Mohamed as wise, principled and compassionate, and said his leadership had helped create a sense of safety, stability and optimism across the country.

Much of the message focused on ordinary people, especially children. Sheikh Mohammed described a young girl leaving home for school without fear, walking through safe and orderly streets and seeing how far the UAE had come. He also imagined a child looking at images of the country’s achievements in space, dreaming of achieving something herself, making her parents proud and one day raising the UAE flag.

“

brother, friend and companion on life’s journey

For Sheikh Mohammed, children’s confidence in their future provides one of the clearest measures of leadership. He said that when children believe they can build a bright future in their own country, national leaders have fulfilled their responsibility to future generations.

He also praised the importance Sheikh Mohamed has placed on education, saying it had become a national priority that helps shape the UAE’s position in the world. The message highlighted investment in Emiratis, preparation for a rapidly changing future and the creation of new sectors and industries. Sheikh Mohammed said the UAE had used its inherited wealth to build new opportunities rather than simply relying on it, leaving the country better prepared for changing circumstances.

“

You are the spirit of the nation