The initiative of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to proclaim 2018 as the Year of Zayed is a fitting tribute to the long journey of progress led by H.H. the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE. It is a message of pride to every Emirati citizen – pride in the prominent position that the UAE has come to occupy, a journey that began at our country’s very inception.

The Year of Zayed celebrates the Founding Father’s deeply held beliefs, principles, and values of happiness, hope and charity, which he passed down to the people of the UAE. H.H. Sheikh Zayed’s wisdom and values went far beyond the geographical limits of the Emirates.

With this initiative, the UAE demonstrates its commitment to following in Sheikh Zayed’s footsteps, reaffirming its people’s resolve to push ahead with their nation’s development in all sectors – and above all, in humanitarian work, where the Founding Father’s contributions are recognised around the world.

With his forward-thinking vision and wisdom, H.H. Sheikh Zayed set the foundations for a modern state, where leadership and citizens converge on the common goal of building a country that has succeeded – in record time – of commanding international attention and establishing itself as an example to be followed.