Dubai: His ambition was not to become vice-president or a ruler – all he wanted was to please his father and learn from him. His favourite colour is blue, the colour of water and and sky, and his passion is poetry.
Life and times of Shaikh Mohammad
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Tuesday met a group of orphans from the UAE at the Bab Al Shams resort.
He interacted with the 30 girls and boys who came to spend time with him on the fifth anniversary of his accession as the Ruler of Dubai.
Welcoming the children, Shaikh Mohammad said: “I came to this desert to meet you as my children and I am your father today.”
He urged them to express their love of the UAE and for President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“We are here as one family as we are all Arabs and Muslims.... five decades ago, we lived in small mud huts with very few hospitals and schools and were short of the urban, economic and educational development we enjoy in the UAE today,” he added.
He also urged them to always seek education as their future weapon, in addition to knowledge, patience and wisdom from the elderly and the love of the home country.
Shaikh Mohammad’s favourites
Shaikh Mohammad also responded to several questions from the children about his eldest daughter, his favourite car, favourite color and favourite football club.
He said: “My eldest daughter is Hessa. My passions are horse riding, hunting, hitch-hiking, reading and writing poetry. My favorite colour is blue, the colour of water and the sky,”
He said he prefers four wheel drive cars, to be able to drive in the desert visiting friends and relatives and enjoying the sands of the UAE deserts and that he likes all kinds of animals.”
“As a child, my ambitions were simple and did not include becoming a vice-president or a ruler. I was rather more interested in pleasing my father and obeying and learning from him.”
Shaikh Mohammad got two gifts from the children and looked at a number of their paintings. He also gave them gifts.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Cabinet Affairs Minister, Lieutenant General Rashid Musabbah Al Fattan, Director of the Office of the Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Ebrahim Bu Malha, Advisor to Shaikh Mohammad for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs and Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director General Of Protocol Department, were also present.
