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Clinton says he is glad to be back at AUD

DUBAI — Former US president Bill Clinton yesterday signed over 500 copies of both English and the Arabic version of his book My Life for the hundreds of students and admirers who had gathered at the American University in Dubai (AUD) campus.

His third visit to AUD in less than three years, Clinton said, he was glad to be back at the university and in Dubai for the book signing, and first-time release of the Arabic version of his autobiography My Life.

In a brief address, he remarked that his book is just not a story of what he has done and achieved in life, but, an initiative to help the young people in the region and around the world, to understand his perspective to life and encourage them to make their lives more fruitful.

“I hope the book will serve as a source of encouragement to young people here and around the world,” said Clinton who spent over two and a half years on this book.

“Besides, the Clinton Scholars Programme financed by Clinton Foundation Scholarships, launched during my visit to AUD last September, the first batch of American students for which are to arrive to study in January 2005,” he said is another important step to offer good opportunity for good education and a decent chance for the youth of today to participate in their nation building.

Clinton admitted, “how little Americans really understand about this region and the Arab world in general, and how much more needs to be known.”

“The scholarship programme is a small step in this direction encouraging young Americans to come here and study under my name,” said the former US president who was in Dubai to address the Arab Strategy Forum- The Arab world in 2020.

Hiba , a student of AUD tightly holding on to her autographed copy of My Life, said she could not believe that she would get a copy personally signed by the former US president himself. “I had the oportunity to meet him during his last visit to AUD, but this meeting with him is memorable.”

Tony Karam, an employee of Abott Laboratories who purchased the English version for Dh100, said: “I always wanted to buy this book, but this ceremony came as a good opportunity and did not want to miss it.”

“The former president was very humble while signing his copy and made polite conversations with each one. I told him, we miss him in the international arena, and he said he was honoured to receive such admiration,” Karam said.