BOOKENDS December 2018, Volume 1, Issue 6

The incredible achievements of the UAE in recent years have been made possible due to the directives of the wise leadership of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as well as His Highness Shaikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and their fellow members of the Supreme Council the Rulers of the Emirates, who have consistently contributed to promoting and developing the country through knowledge and innovation. The UAE ranks among the world's leading nations across several key indicators and has become a true role model for all countries around the world.

Khalifa University Libraries focus on supporting the efforts of the university in developing the nation's human capital while at the same time also emphasizing the culture, heritage and achievements of the UAE in it's library collection. A special collection called Emirates Collection can be browsed at all KU Libraries.

Year of Zayed 2018

In honor of his 100th birthday the UAE declared 2018 the Year of Zayed. There have been a variety of activities and events throughout the year and across the country to honor his memory. These events have been themed around the qualities and values Sheikh Zayed embodied in his life and sought to encourage in Emiratis of his time and into future generations. The Higher National Committee encouraged these themes to focus on four values exemplified in Sheikh Zayed’s work and life. Examining these themes can be helpful ourselves as we set goals in the coming year.

Wisdom

"Education is like a lantern which lights your way in a dark alley” ― Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan

Education and wisdom are not the same. But wisdom begins from cultivating learning and understanding. Sheikh Zayed created many initiatives for education that continue to benefit everyone in the UAE. The wisdom of investing in education, as an individual and as a nation, cannot be denied.

Respect
“The livelihood is from God, the money is God's, the land is God's, the grace is God's, we are all God's creation, and he who has trusted God will never be failed, and those who come to us are welcome.”  ― Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan

Throughout his life Sheikh Zayed was known for the respect he gave others, regardless of their nationality, status, religion, or gender. His statement above was in response to a question about expatriate workers in the UAE. It shows that his thinking about offering respect was based on a profound sense of humility. 

Sustainability
"We cherish our environment because it is an integral part of our country, our history and our heritage. On land and in the sea, our forefathers lived and survived in this environment. They were able to do so only because they recognised the need to conserve it, to take from it only what they needed to live, and to preserve it for succeeding generations.” ― Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikh Zayed had a love for the natural environment and an understanding of its importance from an early age. His observation of natural events and study of their interconnectedness marks him out as the UAE’s first naturalist. This understanding this need to conserve, even in times of abundance, is a powerful lesson to understand.

Human Development
“The real asset of any advanced nation is its people, especially the educated ones, and the prosperity and success of the people are measured by the standard of their education.” ― Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan

Sheikh Zayed is often rightly praised for ensuring women have their rightful place in Emirati society. But his actions in human development included initiatives outside the UAE, whether to recruit top students and researchers to the UAE, or help other countries improve their own infrastructure. This continually emphasis on the need to education and providing, really creating, a better future for everyone is part of understand Sheikh Zayed’s legacy.

The UAE is a proud nation that has achieved a huge amount in only 45 years, thanks to the work of the rulers and the people who developed the vision of the founding fathers to manage new challenges. Today's rulers of the seven emirates have been in close contact for decades, right from the time they attended the formative meetings of the country with their fathers in the early 1970s, and the UAE's success has depended on the leadership's steady guidance.

Over the 45 years of federation, the central government has deepened its authority by mutual consent as circumstances required. Each of the seven emirates has it's own ruler drawn from its ruling family, who is also a member of UAE's supreme council, and each emirate has it's own government which administers its affairs within the emirate. In less than five decades, the UAE has achieved one of the highest standards of living in the world. A significant strand of the UAE's new future will be developing alternative and sustainable sources of energy, both for the benefit of the country and as a strategic asset in which the country can become a global leader. The UAE's urban Centres are known for their awe-inspiring skylines. Buildings like Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building are evidence of a society that is looking confidently ahead to the future, and willing to build some of the world's most striking architectural masterpieces. This dichotomy between the modern and the traditional highlights the complex relationship between the new and the old and is an important feature of a country that has developed so fast. The UAE government is creating infrastructure that will allow future citizens to use technologies that are only a dream today, and is fostering a culture that welcomes innovation. UAE's future will be a move away from hydrocarbons towards renewable sources of energy.

The real strength of the UAE's future lies in its young people and their education. The young people of today will be the opinion shapers of tomorrow. Their growing skills and obvious social commitment will be what defines the nation's success as it continues to move forward and grow.

"Zayed: from challenges to Union" is a chronicle of the life and achievements of Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the first president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The quarter century from 1946 to 1971 which witnessed Shaikh Zayed's rise to power and fame from a tribal leader to the president of a modern nation-state, forms the chronological parameters of this study.

Based on exhaustively researched British archival records, this book is commendably detailed in its content and presents an interesting and insightful analysis of contemporary events and personalities and several landmark events in the annals of the Emirates. 

1946 marked the starting-point of Zayed's political career as the ruler's representative in Al Ain. During his twenty-year tenure in the oasis, Zayed emerged as the iconic "desert prince" and showed signs of a great leader in the making. In 1966, Zayed was chosen as the ruler of the Emirate Abu Dhabi, and his success in transforming the medieval Emirate into a modern metropolis set a matchless example of determination and dynamism. As the pre-eminent figure in Gulf politics and the precursor of political unification in the region, Zayed succeeded in establishing the Federation of the UAE in December 1971 and became its first president. This marked the crowning achievement of his career and the defining moment in the history of the seven Emirates on the Gulf Coast. A leader statesman of legendary repute in the Arab world and one of the greatest political figures of our times, Zayed is universally revered as the "Architect of modern UAE", and loved and admired by his people as the "Father of the Nation". For more than half a century, Shaikh Zayed steered his new-born country through trials and tribulations and carved out a modern welfare state. His phenomenal contributions coupled with his supreme qualities of head and heart, earned for him a memorable place in history.

By: book cover blurb

The UAE is constantly setting and breaking world records. Twenty-four new records held by the UAE were added to the most recent edition of the Guinness World Records, bringing the country’s total records to around 190. Here are some of the latest registered records:

Most mechanical energy produced by pedaling on a static bicycle in one hour

A very specific record, this was set by 300 participants who worked together to produce 8,999 watt hours of energy. Hosted by Burj Park in Dubai, 100 stationary bikes were set up to break this record.

World’s furthest leaning man-made tower

This honor belongs to Abu Dhabi’s skyscraper, Capital Gate, which is also known as the ‘Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi.’ At 160 meters (525 feet), it is also one of the tallest buildings in the capital city. Thanks to clever engineering and architectural design, the building leans 18 degrees to the west.

Largest Stencil

An artwork produced by a stencil measuring 11.13m² (119.8 sq ft) was unveiled at the Middle East Film & Comic Con in Dubai, UAE. Artists from ProWalls and the UAE Graffiti team, in partnership with online art store Iconix (all UAE), took three days to complete the layered sections produced by airbrush, spray gun and laser-cut stencils. The finished image depicted superheroes such as Spider-man, Superman and Batman against the Dubai Skyline.