Sheikh Zayed: "We are all one family"

“What Sheikh Zayed taught us cannot be forgotten or remain unnoticed. We are living with the results of all the work done by him.”

Majid Abu Abdoun is talking about the world-class physical infrastructure that has been assembled in less than 50 years in the UAE, and he should know – as an energy engineer and consultant at the UAE Ministry of Infrastructure Development’s Roads Department, he has literally helped bring that vision to life.

He takes no credit for it personally, however, ascribing the inspiration for this growth to Sheikh Zayed, father of the nation. “From our work in the Ministry of Infrastructure, and our planning of projects, we are only doing what Sheikh Zayed told us to do; we are following his path, building on his vision. But that initial push came from him.”

It’s hard to believe that when Sheikh Zayed brought the leaders of six emirates together at Dubai’s Union House on December 2, 1971 to sign the agreement to create the United Arab Emirates – Ras al Khaimah joined two months later on February 10, 1972 – there was little in the way of roads, hospitals, schools and all the other facilities that make up a modern country. And yet within a few decades, the country had not only caught up with developed nations, but in many respects actually overtaken them.

Abu Abdoun is keen to point out that this development extended way beyond physical infrastructure; it was a philosophy of tolerance, respect and shared goals. “In all aspects – education, women’s equality, infrastructure, transportation, social life, everything – Sheikh Zayed left his mark. It is thanks to his initiatives that the succeeding generations are following up on his work. Without that inspiration, we wouldn’t have what we have today. And he did all this in less than 40 years.”

How that vision came to life is also thanks to the emphasis that Sheikh Zayed placed on making everyone feel a part of the story, as Abu Abdoun is quick to mention. “The best thing I remember about him is his attitude toward expatriates. Sheikh Zayed did not differentiate between people. He created a welcoming environment for all nationalities, which helped the country progress. He taught us to live together with respect for each other, and he instilled this vision in Emiratis and expats alike. He also taught us all the need to contribute to the development of this country – with everything that it gave us in return.”

It’s little wonder, then, that the late leader is still referred to still as “Baba Zayed”.

“He wasn’t just our president, he was like our father in how he viewed his role in taking care of every single family here,” says Abu Abdoun.

Abdoun points to the continuous trips that Sheikh Zayed would make throughout his three decades as leader, visiting schools, universities, hospitals and villages all across the UAE. “He would communicate personally with his people, with spontaneity and without formalities. It was his way of demonstrating that he cared for all of us.”

This is just one of the reasons why Sheikh Zayed is still a role model, even for children, 14 years after his passing. “We all get to know about his life and it provides us with a positive influence.”

Abu Abdoun counts nationals and expatriates as friends. And he notices a commonality across all of them. “I often see a picture of Sheikh Zayed at their homes; his portrait is everywhere; people truly love him.”

This kind of well-meaning devotion, he says, should not be underestimated. “It’s rare to have a leader who is loved, respected and not feared by anyone.” And that, perhaps, is the greatest legacy of all.