H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai is celebrating his 73rd birthday today, on Friday, July 15.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid was born on July 15, 1949, at the Al Maktoum family home in Shindagha on the banks of Dubai Creek. He became the ruler of Dubai in 2006. His passion and vision has transformed Dubai – a once small creek-side settlement into a leading tourism and global business hub, now home to 200 nationalities.
During his 16-year rule, he has always proved to be wise, visionary, a true leader and a man of his word. This visionary ruler is also a poet, an athlete, keen Horseman and Humanitarian.
Today, to celebrate his birthday, let’s recall some of his famous quotes and take a look back at his incredible life.
His early life
Sheikh Mohammed is the third of four sons of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. His mother was Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, daughter of former ruler of Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Mohammed was close to his grandfather Sheikh Saeed bin Hasher Al Maktoum.
From an early age, he learned hunting and the noble Arabian sport of falconry. He also learned the basic skills of horsemanship from his father.
His education
From the age of four, Sheikh Mohammed was privately tutored in Arabic and Islamic studies. In 1955, he started his formal education at Al Ahmedia School, a small primary school in Deira. At the age of 10, he moved to Al Shaab School, and two years later, went to Dubai Secondary School. In 1966, he went to study English Language School at Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
He later received military training at the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, passing out with the sword of honour as the top Commonwealth student.
Ruler of Dubai
Sheikh Mohammed became the ruler of Dubai on 4 January 2006, upon the death of his elder brother Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
On 5 January 2006, the members of the UAE Supreme Council elected Sheikh Mohammed as the Vice-President of the UAE.
On 11 February 2006, the late H. H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the then President nominated Sheikh Mohammed as the Prime Minister of the UAE.
7 popular quotes of Sheikh Mohammed
“A great leader creates more leaders and does not reduce the institution to a single person.”
“It is easy to rule through fear, but it takes a rare leader to rule through love.”
“We in the UAE. have no such word as ‘impossible’; it does not exist in our lexicon. Such a word is used by the lazy and the weak, who fear challenges and progress. When one doubts his potential and capabilities as well as his confidence, he will lose the compass that leads him to success and excellence, thus failing to achieve his goal. I require you, youth, to insist on number one.”
“Dubai will never settle for anything less than first place.”
“The race for excellence has no finish line.”
“An easy life does not make men, nor does it build nations. Challenges make men, and it is these men who build nations.”
“What makes us proud of our nation is not the height of our buildings, the breadth of our streets, or the magnitude of our shopping malls, but rather the openness and tolerance of our nation. Our pride stems from the fact that we are a country where everyone thrives equally regardless of their differences.”
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Sheikh Mohammed’s vision attracted world’s attention
In 2010, Sheikh Mohammed launched the UAE vision 2021 with the aim of making UAE one of the best countries in the world.
“Sheikh Mohammed’s vision has made the UAE the beating heart of the future, the icon of tolerance, the land of opportunities and the capital of making the impossible possible. Under his leadership, the UAE has become a beacon of hope in the region, a maker of positive change, and a preferred destination for empowering young people, investing their creative energies, and improving the quality of life. Yes, it is Sheikh Mohammed who did it all!! Why not? He was taught by our founding fathers “Rashid and Zayed” and is now following in their footsteps,” said Abdulrahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, on the 16th anniversary of Sheikh Mohammed’s accession.
