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Father of the nation

Sheikh Zayed instilled the values of tolerance into the heart of the UAE and its people

The President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, proclaimed the year 2019 to be 'The Year of Tolerance' in the UAE, highlighting the country as a global capital for tolerance, and emphasising tolerance as a universal concept aimed at entrenching the values of tolerance, dialogue, coexistence and openness to different cultures.
The idea of tolerance is deeply rooted in the fabric of the culture, heritage and traditions of the UAE, a society that derives its priorities from a combination of its Islamic roots, centuries-old authentic Arab customs, as well as the teachings and wisdom of the nation's founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, consolidating the pillars of goodness on which the country was established.
There are very few people who are born statesmen, and Sheikh Zayed was one of them. Despite limited resources and a jaundiced international environment then, he eulogised a future for all, and embraced people from all nationalities to build a dynamic and robust nation. The UAE is an outcome of his sincerity, steadfast faith and the commitment to rise, come what may.
Born around 1918 in underdeveloped Abu Dhabi, with an economy based primarily on fishing and pearl diving and on simple agriculture in scattered oases inland, Sheikh Zayed was the youngest of the four sons of Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1922 to 1926.
As Sheikh Zayed grew into a young man, he travelled extensively throughout the country, gaining a deep understanding of the land and its people. In the early 1930s, when oil company teams arrived to undertake preliminary geological surveys, he obtained his first exposure to the industry that would shape the development of the UAE today.
Sheikh Zayed understood that in order to build harmony, cohesion and solidarity amongst his people, he first needed to build their trust through constructive and personal interaction. He enjoyed going out and meeting the local community, and was considered as a man of the people. Through the late 1920s and 1930s, Sheikh Zayed spent considerable time in the desert, living alongside Bedouin tribesmen and learning about their way of life.
In 1946, Sheikh Zayed was chosen as the Ruler's Representative in Abu Dhabi's Eastern Region, centred on Al Ain, 160 kilometres east of Abu Dhabi. He brought to his new task a firm belief in the values of consultation and consensus and his judgements 'were distinguished by their acute insights, wisdom and fairness'.
The job involved ruling over six villages and an adjacent desert region. Despite a lack of significant government revenue, Sheikh Zayed was successful in advancing Al Ain. He had established a basic administration system, personally funded the first modern school in the emirate and encouraged relatives and friends to contribute towards small-scale development. Sheikh Zayed's city planning in Al Ain helped ensure a bright future, and today, the city is one of the greenest in the Arab world.
In August 1966, Sheikh Zayed became the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with a mandate to develop the emirate as quickly as possible. His years in Al Ain had given him valuable experience in government and time to develop a vision of progress. With the first cargo export of Abu Dhabi crude oil in 1962, Sheikh Zayed could rely on oil revenues to start an infrastructure overhaul, constructing schools, housing, hospitals and roads.
In 1968, with the British announcement of its withdrawal from the Arabian Gulf, Sheikh Zayed stepped to action to establish closer ties with the emirates. Together with the late Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Sheikh Zayed called for a Federation that would join the Trucial states.
Eventually, the seven emirates followed Sheikh Zayed in establishing the UAE, which formally emerged on the international stage on December 2, 1971.
While Sheikh Zayed's enthusiasm for the Federation was a key factor in the formation of the UAE, he also won support for the way in which he sought consensus and agreement among his fellow rulers. Sheikh Zayed was elected by these rulers to serve as the first President of the UAE, a post in which he was successively re-elected at five-year intervals.
One foundation of his philosophy as a leader and statesman was that the resources of the country should be fully used to the benefit of the people. This extended to the women of the UAE, who flourished under his visions of education, employment and equality for all Emiratis.
In 1970, recognising that Abu Dhabi was embarking on a process of rapid development, Sheikh Zayed formalised the consultation process and established the National Consultative Council, bringing together the leaders of each of the main tribes. A similar body was created in 1971 for the entire UAE: the Federal National Council, the state's parliament.
Sheikh Zayed was also notably a firm opponent of harsh dogmas and intolerance. In an interview in 2002, he said: "Muslims stand against any person of Muslim faith who will try to commit any terror act against a fellow human being. A terrorist is an enemy of Islam and of humanity, while the true Muslim is friendly to all human beings and a brother to other Muslims and non-Muslims alike. This is because Islam is a religion of mercy and tolerance."
Sheikh Zayed applied his tolerance ideals more broadly. Within the region, and in the wider Arab world, the UAE has traditionally sought to enhance cooperation and resolve disagreements through a calm pursuit of dialogue and agreement.
In the 1990s, Sheikh Zayed recognised that the UAE could play a more active role in international peacekeeping operations. The UAE Armed Forces participated in the Arab Deterrent Force that sought to bring to an end the civil strife in Lebanon, and in UNISOM TWO, the United Nations peacekeeping and reconstruction force in Somalia.
In early 1999, Sheikh Zayed was among the first world leaders to express support for the decision by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) to launch its aerial campaign to force Serbia to halt its genocidal activities against the people of Kosovo.
From late 1999 to 2001, the UAE contingent serving with the UN's peacekeeping Kosovo Force (KFOR) was the largest from any of the non-Nato states, and the only one from an Arab or Muslim country.
Sheikh Zayed passed away in 2004, in his late 80s, leaving behind a legacy as the Father of the Nation. He was succeeded by his eldest son, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan as The President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 2004. The principles and philosophy that he brought to government, however, remain at the core of the state, and of its policies, today.
Today, the UAE has established itself as a bridge of communication between the peoples of the world and, since its establishment, has created an open, respectful environment that rejects extremism and promotes cultural tolerance.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, had tweeted earlier: "Tolerance is the cornerstone of advanced societies, intellectually and humanely, and is one of the tools of empowering civilisations and ensuring stability and flourishing of nations.
"In 2019, we will endeavour to establish this value and lead the intellectual, media and research production movements to reaffirm this value in our region, which has suffered a lot because of extreme allegiance to ideologies or factions or parties."
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said the "world today needs universal human values to be promoted for the sake of future generations".