Sheikh Mohammed highlighted the role of the UAE as a centre for creativity and innovation.

The following is an edited translation of Sheikh Mohammed’s speech.

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Brothers and sisters, esteemed guests...
May Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon you...

I welcome you in the United Arab Emirates and wish you a pleasant stay and a valuable benefit from this conference.

Entrepreneurship for the UAE represents one of the most important pillars in building the Emirati character... because our belief in the human element surpasses that in fortune; we also believe that the future is for those who have ambitions. Perhaps, this belief is what made the UAE reach its established status today. It has become a platform for innovation and an entrepreneurship incubator for Arab youth.

I say to the Arab youth… entrepreneurship has never been an alien phenomenon to the Arab region. In this region, man invented the alphabets and writing. From this region Algebra and mathematics emerged; the first university in history was founded, from where scientists of their time graduated in medicine, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics and engineering.

The greatest innovation of the Islamic Civilisation is globalisation, the globalisation that is based on culture, science and knowledge. Our Islamic civilisation has taken from other civilisations and given these civilisations and benefited from all the cultures and benefited them.

In the UAE we overcame poverty and illiteracy over the past 40 years because we have confidence in ourselves and in our citizens who have turned the barren desert into a modern state.

I say to the youth... you only deserve the first, the best and the biggest if you have confidence in yourselves and your capabilities to take on challenges. Today, we are meeting here because we trust the potential of the youth and because we truly believe that the future can’t be made except by entrepreneurs, and history can’t be changed except by people of courage and intrepidity; success is not achieved except by those who follow a path that hasn’t been taken by people before him. Today, at this conference, we have started with a step followed by other steps and paved a way which others will follow.

We are all partners and responsible for creating a suitable environment for these youth so that they can be creative and develop their countries and societies.

When the UAE was founded, the number of young graduates didn’t exceed 40, while now we have 70 universities which produce thousands of graduates yearly in the various specialisations; we have doubled our national income 195 times thanks to the determination, confidence and ambition of our youth as they are the key to entrepreneurship; doubt is the pitfall of a leader.

If we want to know the importance of the leader, we can look at the UAE leadership headed by my brother President His highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the federal government and local governments as well as work teams that include highly qualified nationals who work day and night to achieve success.

If we look at our recent past, it will remind us of the founding fathers of this modern state, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum, who built this modern and strong country in terms of its people, economy and infrastructure; while others have destroyed already-established countries; so how can a building rise high without pillars; how can horses win races without riders, the educated and ambitious youth are those pillars and riders.