ABU DHABI - Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of Sandooq Al Watan, said that participants in Sandooq Al Watan’s programmes are the leaders of the future,"They are proud citizens of the UAE, and they must channel that pride into hard work and commitment to achieving excellence and success." This came during Sheikh Nahyan's video speech to participants in Sandooq Al Watan’s "Mawhibatna" and "Emirati Coder" programmes.

Sandooq Al Watan is the national initiative launched by prominent Emirati businessmen to support research projects for the post-oil era.

"Welcome to the ‘Mawhibatna’ and ‘Emirati Coder’ programmes, offered to you by Sandooq Al Watan, as part of our commitment to the forward-thinking vision of our wise leadership in the UAE to train, develop, and upskill Emirati professionals, and empower them to accomplish their goals and catalyse positive change in the UAE and the world," Sheikh Nahyan said.

"These programmes are our way of living up to the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, who asserted that the UAE’s youth are its future," he continued. "We, at Sandooq Al Watan, wholeheartedly agree with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, that the people of the UAE are the foundational pillar of this nation and its true wealth. They are the most valuable and permanent investment and we must lay the groundwork for them to work and excel." Sheikh Nahyan called on participants to work hard for their future and that of the UAE. "The United Arab Emirates provides its people with ample opportunities for quality education and innovation," he said. "All it expects in return is for them to exert maximum effort, take initiative, and work hard to drive the country’s development and accomplish its goals and objectives." He went on to explain that the ‘Mawhibatna’ programme is attended by a select group of talented students from around the UAE, who will be given the opportunity to further develop their skills to meet the highest international standards. The programme is organised in collaboration with a number of international universities and could pave the way for participants to enrol and study in these institutions in the future.

"We are confident that each and every one of you has what it takes to fully take advantage of this opportunity. You are intelligent, promising, proud of your country, and highly ambitious. You are more than capable of excelling at this programme," Sheikh Nahyan told participants.

He then moved on to address those taking part in the ‘Emirati Coder’ programme, saying, "With your participation in this programme, you underline your skill and ability to make good use of digital technologies – a basic characteristic of a successful citizen in this day and age. We have faith in you and we believe that your success in this programme will make you leaders and pioneers, who master cutting-edge digital technologies as a means of innovation and development. We are confident you will use your skills to develop applications that benefit you, your community, and your country." "At Sandooq Al Watan, we take great pride in working with talented young Emiratis. We are committed to following in the footsteps of the Founding Father of our country, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and heeding the directives of our wise leadership, which prioritises people and calls for educating and empowering them to serve their country and the world – particularly during this era of unprecedented challenges and uncertainty," Sheikh Nahyan concluded.

/Rola Alghoul

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.