In the vast, rolling sands of the Arabian Peninsula, where shimmering heat blotches the horizon and oases are scattered across the desert like emerald gems, a boy was born in 1918 whose life changed the destiny of his people. That boy, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, grew from the simple palm-shaded streets of Al Ain to become the founding father of a modern nation – the UAE. His journey was not just a personal rise to power; it was a journey linked to the transformation of the Arabian Gulf. During his 86 years, Zayed saw his homeland grow from a cluster of tribal areas under British protection, dependent on pearling, fishing and oasis farming, to become one of the world’s most prosperous, innovative and influential states. This is the story of a man whose leadership blended the traditions of the desert with the demands of a modern state, whose empathy and pragmatism shaped a young nation, and whose legacy still lives on in the UAE’s skyline, its institutions and the hearts of its people.
Chapter One: The World Into Which Zayed Was Born
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was born in 1918 in the oasis city of Al Ain, located in the eastern region of what is today the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. At the time of his birth, the Arabian Peninsula was a land deeply rooted in tribal structures, with territories divided among various clans and confederations. The area now known as the United Arab Emirates was then known as the Trucial States, a collective name given by the British to the small coastal sheikhdoms located on the southern coast of the Persian Gulf. These sheikhdoms—which include Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah—had signed treaties with Britain from 1820, including the General Maritime Treaty, followed by the Perpetual Maritime Truce of 1853 and later the Exclusive Agreement of 1892. These agreements effectively placed the Trucial States under British protection, in return for limiting their foreign relations and allowing the British to oversee maritime security in the Gulf.
Zayed was born into the Al Nahyan family, the ruling dynasty of Abu Dhabi and a major branch of the Bani Yas tribal confederation, one of the most influential alliances in the region. The Bani Yas clan traces its roots to ancient Arab tribes and controlled a large part of the desert interior and the Gulf coastline. The tribe’s economic survival depended largely on a combination of date palm cultivation, ancient falaj irrigation systems, camel herding, and seasonal trade with Oman and other inland communities. Al Ain’s natural freshwater springs, which are rare in the arid environment, made it a valuable settlement and strategic asset for any ruler.
Zayed’s father, Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, came to rule Abu Dhabi in 1922 after the death of his half-brother Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed. Sultan bin Zayed’s reign, though impressive, was marked by tribal tensions and challenges to his power. In 1926, when young Zayed was about eight years old, his father was assassinated during a tribal feud, an event that shocked the region and demonstrated the volatile nature of leadership at the time. The assassination was not just a personal tragedy — it reflected the delicate political balance in a country where power often changed hands through force rather than succession laws. Growing up in this environment was both formative and sobering for young Zayed. The political fragility of the Gulf in the early 20th century taught him that leadership required wisdom, tribal unity and diplomacy. This early experience of the harsh realities of tribal politics, combined with his natural curiosity and observational skills, laid the groundwork for the visionary leadership he would later display as the founding father of the UAE.
Chapter Two: Childhood in an Oasis
The Al Ain of Zayed’s youth in the 1920s was a world untouched by the modern infrastructure we associate with the UAE today. There was no electricity, no motor vehicles, no paved roads and no hospitals. Houses were built of mud bricks and palm fronds (arish), designed to keep the interiors cool during the hot summer months. The rhythm of life was dictated by the seasons, the availability of water and the harsh demands of survival in the desert. The air was filled with the scent of date palms, whose fruits were both a staple food and a trade commodity. Camel bells rang in the background as traders and shepherds passed through the oasis, and the local market buzzed with the exchange of goods such as wool, pottery, spices and dried fish.
Zayed’s education began at the hands of local Islamic scholars (mutawa). Like many boys of his generation, he was taught to read and recite the Quran from a young age. Beyond religious education, his teachers introduced him to Arabic literature, poetry, and the oral traditions of the tribes — a living record of history, law, and moral teachings handed down through generations. These teachings instilled in Zayd values such as justice, generosity, and humility, which would remain central to his style of ruling. However, Zayd’s education extended far beyond the confines of the classroom. He developed survival skills crucial to life in the desert: tracking animals, navigating by the stars, falcon hunting, camel riding, and understanding the subtle signs of weather changes. These were no mere hobbies — they were essential skills in a country where miscalculating travel could spell death.
Lessons in tribal politics were just as important. From an early age, Zayd accompanied elder members of his family to majlis gatherings — traditional council meetings where disputes were settled, alliances negotiated, and communal decisions made. He observed how elders resolved differences over grazing land, water rights or trade routes, insisting on dialogue rather than violence whenever possible. This exposure gave Zayed an early appreciation for consensus-based decision-making and the art of diplomacy, which would later become a hallmark of his leadership. By the time he reached his teens, Zayed was not only physically prepared for the demands of desert life, but was also mentally equipped with the principles of fair leadership and community service. These early years spent in the quiet but socially complex environment of Al Ain would shape the man who would one day unite the emirate.
Chapter Three: A Changing Region
The 1930s brought dramatic changes to the Arabian Gulf, and Zayed, now a young man, witnessed firsthand the collapse of one era and the beginning of another. For centuries the pearl industry had been the economic lifeline of Gulf coastal cities, including Abu Dhabi. Seasonal pearling expeditions employed thousands of people, from divers to boat captains, and the pearls they collected were exported to India, Persia, and Europe. The trade reached its peak in the late 19th century, but its dominance ended abruptly. The first blow came in the late 1920s, when Japanese cultured pearls, refined by Kokichi Mikimoto in 1893, began to flood global markets. These pearls were cheaper and more uniform, driving down the value of natural Gulf pearls. The second blow was the Great Depression (1929–1939), which devastated international luxury markets and further reduced demand for pearls. By the early 1930s, the once thriving pearl economy had virtually collapsed, leaving entire communities in poverty. Many former pearl divers and traders were forced to return to fishing, farming or cattle-rearing, while others moved abroad in search of work in places such as Bahrain or the East African coast.
Amidst this economic decline, a new and unexpected source of wealth was quietly being discovered—oil. British-controlled geological surveys began in the 1930s, with companies such as the Iraq Petroleum Company (through its subsidiary Petroleum Development (Trucial Coast) Ltd) carrying out initial exploration in Abu Dhabi. Although there was no commercial oil production until 1962, these initial surveys indicated vast reserves hidden beneath the sand. The British, aware of the strategic importance of oil, strengthened their political presence in the Trucial States during this period. For Zayed these years were a study in contrasts: the grief of seeing an ancient livelihood disappear, and the intrigue of a mysterious new industry that promised prosperity. He understood that the oil era would bring profound change—wealth, modernization, and geopolitical interests from far beyond the region. Yet he also recognized that without wise leadership, this new wealth could shatter tribal unity or destroy cultural traditions. This tension between preservation and progress would become a central theme of his rule in the decades to come.
Chapter Four: The Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region
In 1946, when Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was nearly 28 years old, his abilities as a negotiator, problem-solver, and unifying figure were officially recognized when he was appointed the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi. This position gave him authority over Al Ain and the surrounding oases, an important agricultural area for the emirate. Unlike the arid coastal areas of Abu Dhabi, the Eastern Region was rich in natural springs and fertile soils, making it a center of food production and a hub of trade with Oman and other interior tribes. However, the region faced significant and recurring challenges. Water rights disputes were common, as the precious resource was drawn from ancient falaj irrigation systems—underground channels that required constant repair and maintenance. Each falaj often served multiple families or tribes, making agreements over use essential but delicate. Moreover, tribal boundaries were not fixed on maps but were marked by shifting understandings and alliances, sometimes leading to clashes over grazing rights or agricultural land.
Sheikh Zayed approached these issues with a style that would later define his leadership—direct engagement. Rather than ruling from a distant majlis in Abu Dhabi city, he traveled widely in the eastern region. Sometimes traveling for days on camel, sometimes on horseback over desert roads, he visited remote settlements, sitting with tribal elders and hearing their grievances face to face. These personal visits allowed him to assess situations firsthand and find compromises that would promote long-term stability while respecting tradition. During his tenure as Ruler’s Representative (1946–1966), Zayed also encouraged modest modernization without alienating conservative elements of society. He supported the repair and expansion of the falaj network, encouraged farmers to diversify crops beyond dates—such as growing vegetables and alfalfa for animal feed—and cautiously welcomed new technologies such as motor vehicles to connect remote villages. Importantly, he ensured that the camel route, a lifeline for Bedouin culture and trade, remained preserved alongside these changes. His fair and accessible ruling style earned him deep respect among the tribes of the interior. The elders trusted him because he listened before making decisions and his decisions were seen as fair. By the time he left this position to become ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, Zayed had not only strengthened the infrastructure of the Eastern Region but also built a foundation of loyalty that would prove crucial in the years to come, especially when unifying the future UAE.
Chapter Five: Oil and Political Change
The discovery of oil in Abu Dhabi proved to be a turning point not just for the emirate but for the entire Gulf region. Although initial geological surveys were carried out in the 1930s, oil was not found in commercially viable quantities overseas until 1958. At the time Abu Dhabi was ruled by Zayed’s elder brother Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who had been in power since 1928.
In 1962 Abu Dhabi began exporting crude oil, with the first shipment departing from Das Island. Almost overnight, the emirate’s financial resources transformed from modest revenues from date palm cultivation and fishing to the vast sums generated by oil sales. Yet, Sheikh Shakhbut’s approach to this new-found wealth was extremely cautious. Having lived through the collapse of the pearl industry and the poverty of the pre-oil years, he feared that rapid modernisation would disrupt the social fabric and traditional lifestyle. As a result, much of the oil revenue remained unused in government coffers, frustrating many tribal leaders and foreign advisers, as they felt an opportunity for progress was slipping away. Sheikh Zayed, who had already served for two decades as the Ruler’s representative in the Eastern Region, had a very different perspective. For him, oil was a blessing from God—a resource to be used for the betterment of all citizens. He envisioned schools, hospitals, roads, and modern housing projects that would lift his people out of poverty and prepare them for a new era. Zayed believed that development did not mean erasing tradition; rather, it could strengthen the nation if directed wisely.
By the mid-1960s, tensions between the brothers’ perspectives became increasingly evident. Many influential tribal elders, as well as British officials, saw Zayed as the leader who could move Abu Dhabi forward. Sir Hugh Boustead, the British political agent in the Trucial States, was among those who recognized Zayed’s abilities and pragmatic approach. In August 1966, after discussions among the ruling family and with British support, Sheikh Shakhbut stepped down peacefully. On 6 August 1966, Zayed was formally appointed Ruler of Abu Dhabi. This transition, unlike many in the region’s history, occurred without violence, beginning what would soon become a bold era of change.
Chapter Six: A Modernizing Ruler
From the moment he took power in August 1966, Sheikh Zayed began implementing an ambitious development program aimed at transforming Abu Dhabi from a sparsely populated desert region into a modern state. Taking advantage of the emirate’s rapidly growing oil revenues, he prioritized projects that would have the most immediate and widespread impact on the daily lives of citizens. One of his first initiatives was to improve infrastructure. Roads were built to link Abu Dhabi city to remote villages and, crucially, to the eastern region, to ensure that remote communities could access services and markets. These roads replaced the dangerous and time-consuming camel or sand track journeys that had been the norm for centuries. Education was another pillar of Zayed’s modernization drive. In the late 1960s, he invited teachers from Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, and other Arab countries to staff newly built primary and secondary schools. By the early 1970s, literacy rates in Abu Dhabi began to rise rapidly, and girls’ education — once rare — was actively encouraged.
Healthcare was also revolutionized. Zayed ordered the establishment of hospitals and clinics that provided free medical care to citizens. Diseases such as trachoma, malaria, and polio, which were common in the pre-oil era, began to decline rapidly as public health campaigns took effect. Housing projects replaced dilapidated palm-leaf huts with modern concrete homes equipped with electricity and running water. Recognizing the scarcity of freshwater, Zayed invested in desalination plants, which began producing potable water for both urban and rural populations. The first such plants came online in the late 1960s, marking a major leap in living standards.
Importantly, Zayed’s leadership style remained hands-on. He regularly visited development sites, from road construction projects to school openings, and spoke directly to engineers, teachers, and laborers. This approach not only ensured that projects stayed on track, but also cemented his reputation as a leader who was accessible and personally invested in the welfare of his people. By the early 1970s, the pace of change in Abu Dhabi was remarkable. In less than a decade, it had evolved from a cluster of fishing villages and desert oases to become one of the fastest-growing regions in the Gulf. Yet Zayed’s vision extended beyond Abu Dhabi—he was already laying the political groundwork for a federation of emirates, a goal that would soon be realized with the formation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971.
Chapter Seven: Striving for Unity
The year 1968 proved to be a turning point for the Arabian Gulf. On 16 January 1968, the British government led by Prime Minister Harold Wilson announced its decision to withdraw all military forces from “East of Suez”—a strategic term referring to areas east of the Suez Canal—by the end of 1971. The decision was prompted by economic constraints and a shift in Britain’s foreign policy priorities. For the Trucial States, which had been under British protection since the 19th century, this meant that treaties guaranteeing their defense and foreign relations would expire.
This news caused concern among the rulers of the Trucial States. The region was strategically located, bordering across the Gulf from Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Iran, all of which had territorial ambitions or disputes. Without British military support, the small, scattered emirates were at risk of political isolation or vulnerability to external threats. However, the British withdrawal also created an opportunity—a chance to create a cohesive political entity that could defend its sovereignty, pool resources, and engage internationally on an equal footing. Recognizing the urgency, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Dubai met on 18 February 1968 in the small village of Al Samha near the border between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The meeting, sometimes called the Al Samha Agreement, was historic. The two leaders agreed in principle to establish a federation, starting with their two emirates but open to others. Their goal was to create a federation that would combine Abu Dhabi’s financial resources (fueled by oil revenues) with Dubai’s commercial expertise and strategic port facilities.
Over the next three years negotiations took place between the rulers of Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, as well as Bahrain and Qatar. The meetings took place in a variety of locations, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and even the British Political Residency in Bahrain. Initially, the plan was for a federation of the nine emirates, but political and territorial disagreements led Bahrain and Qatar to opt for full independence in August and September 1971, respectively. Despite the setbacks, Zayed remained committed to unity. He worked personally to resolve disputes between the remaining emirates, sometimes even offering financial aid or political compromises to ensure their participation. His patient, inclusive approach—and Abu Dhabi’s willingness to share its wealth—would prove decisive in the eventual formation of the United Arab Emirates in late 1971.
Chapter Eight: The Birth of the United Arab Emirates
History was made on 2 December 1971. The rulers of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah agreed to formally unite, creating the United Arab Emirates. The event took place at Union House in Dubai (preserved today as the Etihad Museum). Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was unanimously elected the first president of the UAE, while Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum was elected vice president.
The date was carefully chosen—it coincided with the official end of Britain’s treaty obligations in the Trucial States. The new nation immediately began building the institutions necessary for governance. Ministries of defense, foreign affairs, education, health and public works were established. A federal court system was set up to ensure legal stability throughout the emirate. A Federal National Council (FNC) was planned, a consultative body representing all the emirates, with its first meeting in 1972. However, the federation was not yet complete. Ras Al Khaimah, concerned about security threats from Iran after the Iranian occupation of the Greater and Lesser Tunb islands (1 December 1971), initially abstained. After receiving assurances of support from Zayed and the federal government, Ras Al Khaimah officially joined on 10 February 1972, bringing the number of emirates to seven—the configuration we know today.
Zayed emphasised from the start that the UAE’s oil wealth was not the property of any one emirate, but a trust for the benefit of all Emiratis. Federal development projects were funded from Abu Dhabi revenues, ensuring that even the smaller emirates received modern infrastructure and services. The new state quickly gained international recognition. The UAE joined the Arab League in 1971 and joined the United Nations on 9 December 1971, just a week after its founding. Zayed’s diplomatic approach won the young union allies across the Arab world and beyond. In a region often marked by rivalry and division, the peaceful formation of the UAE was seen as a remarkable achievement—made possible largely through Zayed’s vision, patience, and generosity.
Chapter Nine: Building a Nation
The 1970s were a period of breathtaking change for the UAE. Supported by rising oil revenues—especially after the 1973 oil boom, when prices quadrupled due to the Arab oil embargo—Sheikh Zayed directed unprecedented investment in infrastructure, social services, and economic diversification. The transportation network was one of his first priorities. Highways linked Abu Dhabi to Dubai, Sharjah, and the northern Emirates, reducing travel times from days to hours. Ports such as Port Zayed in Abu Dhabi and Port Rashid in Dubai expanded rapidly, facilitating trade. New airports were built in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and Sharjah’s airport was modernized, linking the UAE to international destinations. Electricity and clean water reached villages that had never had such services before. Desalination plants, which were rare in the late 1960s, became the cornerstone of water supply. By the late 1970s, even remote settlements had access to fresh water, transforming agriculture and living standards.
In education, Zayed declared schooling free for all Emirati citizens, including girls, a revolutionary move in a traditionally conservative society. He also offered scholarships to study abroad, sending young Emiratis to universities in Egypt, Britain, the United States and other countries to gain the skills needed for the country’s future. In healthcare, modern hospitals and clinics replaced the limited facilities of the pre-oil era. The spread of vaccinations and medical treatments drastically reduced diseases such as smallpox, polio and malaria. By the late 1970s, life expectancy in the UAE had increased significantly compared to the 1960s.
Yet modernisation never meant abandoning heritage for Zayed. He was a strong advocate of cultural preservation, funding camel racing tracks, falconry events and heritage festivals that celebrated pearl diving, traditional dance and Emirati crafts. Zayed saw these traditions not as relics of the past but as essential to national identity in an increasingly globalised world. By the end of the decade, the UAE was firmly on the map as a modern, prosperous state — yet it still retained the cultural values of generosity, hospitality and tribal solidarity that had sustained it for centuries. This balance between progress and heritage was Zayed’s hallmark, and it became a defining characteristic of the country he helped create.
Chapter Ten: Environmental Management
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s environmental philosophy was not an afterthought, but rather a core principle underlying his vision for the UAE from the earliest days of his rule. Born in the oasis city of Al Ain in 1918, Zayed grew up in a harsh desert environment where water scarcity and the fragility of natural resources were constant realities. This upbringing instilled in him a deep respect for the land, wildlife and delicate ecological balance of the Arabian Peninsula.
Even before the formal establishment of the UAE in 1971, Zayed had begun implementing conservation strategies in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, where he became Ruler in 1966. Recognising the rapid pace of modernisation and urbanisation driven by oil wealth, he feared that without intervention, the country’s natural heritage could disappear. One of his earliest large-scale projects was a massive tree-planting campaign in the deserts of Abu Dhabi in the late 1960s. These trees—many of which were Ghaf and Sidr species—served a number of purposes: stabilizing sand dunes, reducing desertification, and creating green spaces in otherwise barren landscapes. In his lifetime, Zayed oversaw the planting of more than 100 million trees, earning him international recognition.
In 1977 Zayed initiated the transformation of Sir Bani Yas Island, located 170 kilometers southwest of Abu Dhabi. Once a barren island, it has now become a nature reserve, home to thousands of animals, including Arabian oryx, gazelles, and leopards. Zayed personally ordered the reintroduction of endangered species native to the Arabian Peninsula, particularly the Arabian oryx, which had been declared extinct in the wild in the early 1970s. His efforts helped revive the species, and by the 1990s breeding programs on Sir Bani Yas Island led to the reintroduction of oryx to their natural desert habitats.
Water management was another cornerstone of Zayed’s environmental management. He blended modern desalination technology, in which the UAE began investing heavily in the 1970s, with the preservation of ancient falaj irrigation systems that had sustained the oases for centuries. In Al Ain, he personally funded the restoration of these falaj channels to ensure that traditional water-sharing practices survived. By the late 1990s, Zayed’s environmental policies had received international praise. In 1995, the United Nations Environment Programme awarded him the Global 500 Award for outstanding environmental achievement. His legacy in this area is still visible today in the UAE’s extensive wildlife reserves, national parks, and sustainability initiatives such as Masdar City. Zayed’s vision was decades ahead of its time, combining deep cultural heritage with far-sighted ecological responsibility, ensuring that modernisation did not come at the expense of the land that had been sustained by generations before him.
Chapter Eleven: Diplomacy and Humanitarianism
Sheikh Zayed’s diplomatic approach was shaped by both Bedouin traditions of hospitality and his firm belief in unity and cooperation among nations. Since becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, and later as the first President of the United Arab Emirates from 2 December 1971, he pursued a balanced foreign policy based on mutual respect, assistance and mediation. During the 1970s and 1980s, Zayed actively promoted Arab unity through the Arab League and supported joint development projects among Gulf states. He believed that oil wealth should be used not only for the prosperity of the UAE but also for the wider Arab and Muslim world. This philosophy was evident in the creation of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) in 1971, which provided interest-free loans and grants to developing countries. Over the years, ADFD has funded schools, hospitals, roads and clean water projects in countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
His humanitarianism extended beyond the Arab world. In 1980, Zayed authorized the UAE’s participation in relief efforts for Afghan refugees fleeing the Soviet invasion. The UAE sent both financial aid and medical assistance to refugee camps in Pakistan. Similarly, during the famine crisis in Sudan in the mid-1980s, he sent emergency shipments of food and established long-term agricultural support programs. His most notable moment on the world stage came during the 1990–1991 Gulf War. When Iraq invaded Kuwait on 2 August 1990, Zayed condemned the invasion and worked through diplomatic channels to find a peaceful solution. When these efforts failed, he supported the international coalition that liberated Kuwait in February 1991, as well as sending humanitarian aid to Kuwaiti citizens displaced by the war. His positions reflected his belief in both upholding international law and safeguarding regional stability.
Zayed also played a mediating role in conflicts such as the Eritrean-Ethiopian border dispute in the late 1990s and the Yemen civil conflict of the 1970s and 1980s. His mediation often involved quiet diplomacy, leveraging personal relationships rather than public confrontation. By the 1990s, Zayed was widely respected as a global humanitarian leader. His charitable work included building hospitals in Morocco, funding orphanages in Bosnia after the Balkan wars, and funding educational institutions in far-flung countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines. His philosophy was simple but profound: “Wealth is a gift from God, and it should be used for the benefit of all humanity.”
Chapter Twelve: Later Years and Legacy
By the early 1990s, the UAE under Sheikh Zayed’s leadership had transformed itself from a federation of desert sheikhdoms into one of the world’s most prosperous and modern countries. Oil revenues were strategically invested in infrastructure, health care, education, and diversification. By 1995, the UAE’s GDP per capita was among the highest globally, and its cities, particularly Abu Dhabi and Dubai, were recognized as modern centers of commerce and culture. In his later years, Zayed turned his attention to ensuring that the country’s prosperity would last longer than its oil reserves. He emphasized sustainable development and supported initiatives in renewable energy, environmental protection, and human capital investment. Education remained a personal priority; in 1998, he founded Zayed University to provide higher education opportunities for Emiratis, especially women, reflecting his belief in gender equality as a driver of progress.
Zayed’s health began to decline in the early 2000s, but he remained active in governance and public life. Sheikh Zayed died in Abu Dhabi on 2 November 2004, at the age of 86. His death marked the end of an era and the nation entered a period of mourning. Leaders from around the world, including Arab kings, Western presidents and Asian prime ministers, attended his funeral, a testament to his international stature. He was buried in a simple grave next to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, a monumental project he personally conceived and launched in the late 1990s. Completed in 2007, the mosque is today one of the largest and most beautiful mosques in the world, symbolizing both his devotion to Islam and his approach to cultural and architectural excellence.
Zayed’s legacy lives on in tangible and intangible ways. His portrait adorns the UAE currency, his quotes are included in school curricula, and his development philosophy—balancing tradition with modernization—continues to shape national policy. In the “Year of Zayed” in 2018, the centenary of his birth, nationwide campaigns were launched to promote his values of sustainability, humanism, and unity. Sheikh Zayed remains a cultural icon more than a political leader, remembered for transforming the UAE into a nation that blends the spirit of the desert with the opportunities of the modern age—a true testament to visionary leadership.
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