ABU DHABI: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has said the 2nd of December is a day that will be remembered forever — a day that witnessed the establishment of a country that would become, within just a few decades, a model of successful state building and a fine example of a united and cohesive nation.
He said the UAE truly serves as a role model not only for the region’s countries, but for the rest of the world.
“As we celebrate this glorious day, we remember, with our hearts filled with pride and appreciation, the nation’s founder, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his brothers the founding fathers, who, together, built a great nation, a nation that is based on universal values. It is upon the strong foundations that our founding fathers laid that our country developed and will keep prospering.
“On this auspicious occasion, we renew our pledge that we will stay on the path that was first trodden by (Shaikh) Zayed and his brothers — the founding fathers — and that we will save no effort to foster and strengthen our unity and cohesiveness.
“Our aspirations for our nation have no limits; our ambitions are boundless.
“We aspire to be one of the best states in the world in all fields because we believe that the wheel of development is not limited to a specific culture or civilisation. Rather, we believe that development is a right for all countries to enjoy as long as they have a strong will and a true driving force.
“Indeed, we are capable of positioning our country among the world’s most developed nations within the coming years.
The Arab world faces today an intertwined set of threats and challenges, namely the menace of terrorism and extremism, the escalating sectarian tension, the continuous attempts by foreign parties to meddle in the region’s internal affairs; these are parties that aim to achieve their own agenda and ambitions at the expense of the region and its peoples.
“Under these conditions, the Arab states need, today and more than ever, to promote their cooperation and common action. It is now, more than ever, a pressing need that the Arab peoples, the young in particular, know that these ideologies are maiming the beautiful and shining face of our faith, that the version of Islam that they have produced has nothing to do with the true Islam that rejects extremism and encourages tolerance, moderation and peaceful dialogue among all people.
“On this eternal day, we renew our pledge to President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan that we will do our best to meet the aspirations of our people, to work with sincerity and dedication for the sake of our homeland, so that it remains a symbol of giving and charity, so that it remains a beacon of tolerance and coexistence and so that it continues to carry the torch of hope.”
