Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday reviewed a study on national identity and praised the creative ideas and proposals it contained.
The study was reviewed ahead of the UAE National Identity Conference, which will be opened by Shaikh Mohammad today at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
The two-day conference, which seeks to promote national identity, history and culture among UAE nationals, offers a platform for the UAE elite to exchange views on the best ways to further boost the country's national identity.
During the conference, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, participants will discuss issues like education, experience of democracy, Arabic, sports achievement, media, history and heritage.
The Vice-President was briefed by Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, on the study conducted by his ministry.
"The creative proposals need deployment of individual and collective efforts to be undertaken in a civilised, practical and scientific methods that could render it a successful model to be emulated locally and regionally as the first study of its kind," Shaikh Mohammad said.
Al Owais gave a presentation on the main features and indicators of the study on the national identity, the first of its kind, and mechanisms to preserve, implant and deepen the national identity in the local community.
"The study, which was conducted by the ministry in association with local universities and an international consultant, took one year and covered the age group between 18 and 60 years in all emirates," Al Owais told Shaikh Mohammad in presence of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, Shaikh Abdullah and Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs.
"The study was a practical embodiment of Shaikh Khalifa's address in 2005 and fit well into the federal government strategy launched by Shaikh Mohammad in 2007 which is under implementation now,"he added.
Role of media
The study tries to identify points of weakness in the national identity structure and devise effective solutions to these problems.
The study highlights the vital role of media and other modes of communications in inculcating and infusing the spirit of loyalty and belonging to national identity, heritage and citizenship among every member of the local community and translation of these principles in daily life practice in terms of productivity and good behaviour.
The final goal is to groom a generation who firmly believes in national identity, prudent leadership, Arab culture, Islamic faith and glorious history. While focusing on strengthening the local identity and character in all domains, the study also underlines the priority of sustainable development which also targets human resources in a bid to catapult the UAE to ranks of advanced nations in light of the content of the address made by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.