Sheikh Mohammed's rare vision steered UAE to glory, says Raed Barqawi

Emad Eddin Khalil, Staff Reporter

Few leaders can hold a candle to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai's stature. The man who steered Dubai from a rudimentary desert-based backdrop towards a glittering, trendsetting and ultramodern city of fascinating highrises and iconic landmarks that the globe's visitors gawp at, has a rare vision and foresight that have moulded its very futuristic ethos.

He is the Quintessential Doer, the Ultimate Achiever. What he does today, the world follows tomorrow. Projects that people would consider a pipedream, an impossibility, he transforms them into lively realities. It is Sheikh Mohammed's overarching sharp-sightedness and charisma that is in focus in Executive Editor-in-Chief of Al Khaleej newspaper Raed Barqawi's book, “Dare to Dream… How Mohammed Bin Rashid Turned His Dreams into Reality."

On Saturday, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair hosted a dialogue session entitled "Dare to Dream," presented by the media figure, Faisal Bin Hariz. The session revolved around the launch of the English version of the book. Barqawi said: "In this book, I attempted to answer two central questions, How His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, transformed the impossible into facts, achievements and successes, so that Dubai has become an inspiring model all around the world and how His Highness established a culture of proactive thinking in the midst of an Arab environment which, for decades, stopped dreaming of the best and foreseeing the future. “It is not easy for words to summarise Sheikh Mohammed’s personality, and it is difficult to scale the depths of His Highness’ vision because he is always ahead of time with his thinking. He goes beyond the geographical boundaries of the UAE and is a leader who catapulted the Arab nation into a stellar and commanding position. He has a rare insight, one of the main components of his personality, and hence his initiatives have a global reach, depicting happiness and hope for a better tomorrow in various countries,” said Barqawi.

Barqawi added, “In July 2020, while we were following the journey of the Hope Probe to Mars, I wondered, what does the UAE possess that other countries in the Arab world do not? How does the UAE achieve success while others are trying hard to catch up? Sheikh Mohammed's words answered my question when His Highness said: "We started the past five decades from the desert of Sih Al Sidira, and we are starting the new fifty from the desert of Mars."

Barqawi stressed that these are merely simple words, but they surely have deep meaning. They draw and summarise the path of success the UAE has achieved in five decades, something which many nations have failed to do so, thanks to the pathbreaking ideas of the leader who looks beyond success. "These words make us wonder what the next station of His Highness’s vision is. What is the achievement he seeks to achieve, being a leader who believes that success is enhanced by continuity, and that staying at the top requires more effort than reaching it. He is a leader who spares no effort to put his people in the first place." Barqawi added: “Those who contemplate the thought and vision of His Highness know the great importance of his pioneering developments and the models he presents which inspire generations. They are also a life experience and a vision for pushing the cities towards globalisation. They enable the Emirate of Dubai and the UAE to become the lamp standard which inspires other nations." After the official launch of the English version, Raed Barqawi held a session to sign the copies of the book in the presence of dignitaries and media professionals. Proceeds from the sales of the book will be donated to the Al Noor Training Centre for People of Determination.