Sheikh Mohammed's letter to Arab youth goes viral

An address to the Arab youth by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has garnered the attention of more than 30 million people on social media.
The open letter to the Arab youth, which appeared in the inaugural issue of Popular Science Arabia magazine in April, has since registered massive interaction with audiences across the Arab World. It scored more than 32 million views on Facebook, over 17 million views on Twitter and was published by more than 30 renowned media channels and publications in the region.
The magazine is a joint venture of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) and Haykal Media.
Speaking about the address, Omar Mohamed, an Agricultural Engineering Student at the University of Jordan's Faculty of Science, said Dubai is a source of pride for all young Arabs. "The emirate inspires us to persevere and go after our dreams. Sheikh Mohammed's letter in Popular Science Arabia could not have come at a better time. It gives all of us hope for the future in the face of all the challenges facing our region."
Bader Al Mutawa, Editor-in-Chief of a Saudi Arabia-based newspaper, said the letter ?
"bolsters the efforts of past and current Arab scientists".
"(It) defeats the stereotype that suggests the Arabic language is incapable of keeping up with scientific progress. Sheikh Mohammed has launched innumerable knowledge-related initiatives, and has consistently encouraged young people to delve deep into the field and develop the Arabic language to be compatible with all scientific concepts and discoveries."
With "creativity and proactivity" requiring great endorsement and encouragement from leaders and role models, Jordanian Arabic teacher Asma Salman said Sheikh Mohammed's sentiment that "waiting will inevitably lead to wasted time and missed opportunities" is spot on.
"The time to take the initiative is now; the time to restore the Arabic language to its historic place in science and knowledge is now."
Popular Science is a world-renowned American scientific magazine. It targets an audience of non-expert science and tech enthusiasts. The magazine publishes articles by world-famous scientists and pioneers in science and technology. The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) and Haykal Media launched the magazine to spread Arabic-language scientific content. It will print six issues annually and share content online on popsci.ae for science enthusiasts across the Arab World. The magazine will also publish material from the international edition, translated into Arabic.
- reporters@khaleejtimes.com