Words of wisdom on ambition, resilience and leadership
Need a little motivation? The UAE’s Rulers are known not only for shaping the country’s remarkable growth, but also for sharing powerful words on ambition, resilience and vision. And these quotes are sure to make you hold your head up high.
UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
On the people who call the UAE home
Our most favourite words come from a speech made by Sheikh Mohamed on March 7, 2026. It was addressed to UAE residents in the wake of the regional instability. After expressing his sincere gratitude of the awareness to both citizens and residents of the UAE on their genuine love and loyalty to the UAE through both words and actions, he stated,
“In the UAE, everyone is Emirati through their love for this land and their contributions to it.”
And this isn’t the first time the UAE President has felt this way. In 2020 during the nationwide National Disinfection Programme, he stated,
“The UAE is proud of our citizens and residents living on our soil. We are proud they (residents) share with us our identity.”
Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
If you didn’t know, the UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities. It’s one of the reasons why the UAE is the best place in the world to live and it is a fact the UAE President always speaks highly of.
“The UAE’s greatest asset is its people and their ambition for the future.”
“The people of the UAE are central to our efforts to progress. It is through devotion and selflessness towards the nation that true accomplishments are realised.”
On the UAE
“The UAE firmly believes in the importance of diplomacy and dialogue as tools for building trust, and it will continue to support global peace and stability, calling for cooperation for the greater good of humanity.”
“The UAE remains, as it has always been, a beacon of goodwill, peace, progress, and fraternity in the region and the world. We will continue to work for the benefit of humanity everywhere and pursue a future that brings people closer together. We trust that our future will continue to shine with God’s grace, our people’s determination, and our indomitable will to succeed.”
“The UAE is a nation that pursues innovation, with its people at the forefront of progress. Lifelong learning is the fuel that propels our nation forward.”
“Although we live in an unstable region that has challenges and different viewpoints, I am very optimistic by nature and I believe that the UAE today is more like a light that illuminates a dark land.”
On challenges
“If your point of view is positive, you will see the challenges in the future as opportunities.”
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His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai
On leadership
“There is a world of difference between a leadership that is based on love and respect, and one that is based on fear.”
“There is no true leader who does not thank the people, and any leader who does not thank their team is not worthy of his or her position.”
“The positive leader does not see a crisis as the end of the world, but rather the dawn of a new horizon of innovation and achievement.”
Sheikh Mohammed even penned a poetry praising the leadership of the UAE President. Here’s a snippet.
“Whoever endures hardship can turn the darkest nights bright,
for nights are woven of both light and shadow.”
You can read Sheikh Mohammed’s other poetry here.
On luck
“They say that luck smiled at Dubai. I say that when they want to undermine and devalue your effort, they attribute your success to luck.”
On the UAE
“What makes us proud of our United Arab Emirates 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.”
On the future
“The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it, and execute it.”
For many more thoughts and ideas from HH Sheikh Mohammed, pick up Flashes of Wisdom, which is in both Arabic in English. Available in most major bookshops now and on BooksArabia.com from Dhs40.
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Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi – Ruler of Sharjah
Credit: sheikhdrsultan.ae
A lifelong champion of heritage and the arts, Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi has shaped Sharjah into the UAE’s vibrant cultural capital, where history, literature, and creativity thrive side by side.
On culture
“Reading… is the road that provides its follower with [an] inexhaustible source of arts, science, culture, and knowledge.”
“Culture is not a legacy we merely preserve, but a bridge we build with others.”
On receiving the highest sovereign cultural honor in Portugal, the Ruler of Sharjah stated,
“Culture is not a legacy we preserve, but a bridge we build with others.”
On the UAE
“The dreams and ambitions of this country have no limits, and its pursuit to fulfill its dreams and ambitions will never cease.”
Images: Dubai Media Office and WAM
