What is a more appropriate to celebrate an Accession Day anniversary than to launch another pioneering initiative that will bring quite a change in the Arab world sponsoring 1,000 Arab brilliant minds in the different scientific and social fields, a local newspaper has said.

The initiative, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on the occasion of his 16th Accession Day anniversary, is aimed to support these Arab pioneers connect "with global scholars, researchers and companies to help develop their ideas and further sharpen their talents". The 1,000 great minds would be specialised in the fields of physics, mathematics, coding, research and economics.

The Museum of the Future, which will open soon, will serve as the hub to bring those talents together. The AED100 million, 5-year programme, named ‘Great Arab Minds’ aims to enable brilliant Arabs to play their positive and cultural role in the Arab region and revive the cultural role Arabs played in human civilisation in pursuing the future of the Arab world, the Vice-President said on Twitter.

The programme specialities have been selected for their potential for future advances in key areas of innovation to drive human development and economic growth. "A nation that appreciates its scholars, thinkers, and great minds and enables them to play their role is on the right path." "The initiative is just the latest of many that have been launched by Sheikh Mohammed to motivate the Arab youth to drive the progress of their societies. Sheikh Mohammed has always said that the great Arab civilisation that contributed to the evolution of the world for centuries can play even a greater role today," Gulf News wrote in its today's editorial.

He has already put that concept to a great success in the UAE. Over the last 16 years, he established the principle of forward planning in both the federal and the Dubai governments, with special focus on excellence, digitisation, competitiveness and flexible government. The government has since carried out the most significant legislative reforms in the nation’s history to implement those principles and address future challenges.

The paper concluded by saying, "Today, the UAE tops most global development and competitiveness indices ranking first in 121 international indicators ranging from government efficiency, competitiveness, easiness of doing business, infrastructure, attracting foreign investment, sovereign credit rating, to the rate of vaccination against Covid-19.

"And he has always stressed that the journey is long and hard, although his leadership made those challenges look easy. The 2071 vision, launched last year, to mark the country’s 50th anniversary, is made to ensure that we go through the journey of future development with confidence to create a better future for the coming generations, strengthen the union and build a sustainable diversified economy."

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2022.