They say no act of goodness goes unnoticed. And that holds so very true in Dubai.
Gulf News yesterday published a story about Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, reaching out to the social media community, asking for information about a delivery bike rider, seen in a video, removing concrete blocks from a road intersection.
“An act of goodness in Dubai needs to be praised. Can someone point me to this man?” Sheikh Hamdan asked in his tweet, attaching the video clip of the incident.
Soon after, he posted an update on his Insta Stories. “The good man has been found. Thank you Abdul Ghafoor, you are one of a kind. We will meet soon.”
Just pause for a minute and wonder. How special does Abdul Ghafoor feel?
It must be a feeling of awe.
In December last year, a video emerged of Sheikh Hamdan sharing a special moment with a person of determination. Sheikh Hamdan approached the man in a wheelchair and hugged him, asking about his health.
Now pause.
How special did that man feel?
The world is full of strife and disasters. In our day to day lives, we deal with work pressures, family problems, health issues and other challenges. And yet we go about our lives like clockwork, seldom sparing a thought of what the person adjacent might be going through. It’s our cocoon that we protect.
And there are leaders we have seen down the ages. Some we see passing by in a motorcade or watch them deliver speeches on television. But it is the human touch that make some leaders stand apart. Sheikh Hamdan is one such leader. As the Crown Prince of Dubai, he must have a workload that we can barely fathom. Yet, he takes the time and effort to provide the caring touch that makes residents feel so special.
But his compassion just doesn’t extend towards humans. Any animal lover will tell you, seeing Sheikh Hamdan bond with animals, that the love is real. The visuals are touching and heartwarming. Man subjects animals to unimaginable cruelty. There is a leader who cares.
Remember the stray dog Grace? She was brutalised and shot. Eight air gun pellets were lodged in her body, including her skull and eye sockets. The Saluki-mix would not have had the gift of life had it not been for Sheikh Hamdan’s care.
This is a leader who is special.
And this is a leader, who keeps up with the times. Everyone is on Netflix. So is he. Sheikh Hamdan even asked his 14 million followers on Instagram for suggestions on what to watch. This is what makes him so endearing.
They say in Dubai you have nothing to lose save for your heart.
A mother shared her story of how she had left her baby stroller in the parking lot in the night and found it the next morning. “This can only happen in Dubai,” she posted.
Sheikh Hamdan shared Claudine Foong’s story on his Instagram account and wrote: “Thank you Claudine, a true story that we can all relate to in Dubai. But next time, no strollers left behind please.”
This is a leader with a great sense of humour and gets across a serious message.
He is a patron of sport, being an athlete himself, supporting cycling and running among other disciplines. Sheikh Hamdan leads residents in the annual Dubai run along Sheikh Zayed Road.
This is a leader who connects to people at every level.
A society needs to have hope and feel special. Sheikh Hamdan, in touching the lives of Abdul Ghafoor, the man of determination, Claudine Foong and Grace, has made every resident of Dubai feel special. He instills that sense of belonging, of community, a sense of responsibility towards society and of compassion.
I will borrow a verse from one of the greatest poets and singers of our time, Bob Dylan.
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
