Mohammed's speech at the Dubai Cares closing ceremony

Sheikh Mohammed delivered a speech at the closing ceremony for the Dubai Cares campaign on November 25, 2007. The following is a translated transcript of his speech.

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Thanks be to Allah, who guided us to the right path and led us to the paths of goodness.

Ladies and gentlemen, to start, I would like to thank the upcoming generation, the thousands of male and female students who volunteered and contributed to the Dubai Cares campaign. Thank you all.

I would also like to thank the Dubai Cares team for their effort. Thanks to all the companies and organisations that contributed to the campaign. I also thank businessmen, merchants and individuals.

Frankly, I know that our society is kind, good and willing to give, it was a happy surprise. I know that many individuals in our society speak English, I know they give and take the initiative, however, there are people I didn't know who came forward to make donations - I thank them.

We have focused on education, because it is the most important issue. You can feed the hungry, but they will grow hungry again; if we feed hungry children, they will be hungry again, but, Allah willing, we will feed and educate them so that they can stand on their own two feet and become active members of their societies.

As you saw in the film, I sent my daughters and sons to these countries and they returned thinking differently. I want them to see things with their own eyes. All people now enjoy the spirit of cooperation. I am pleased to see the spirit of cooperation in this good society.

The United Nations has said that by 2015 all the children of the world will have primary educations but, if we look at the current situation, this plan won't be realised.

However, when I witnessed this society's great generosity, I grew optimistic that in two years all children will have educations.

To the United Nations, I say, "Follow us, we are ahead of you in terms of serving humanity. We can help with this issue. We will reach good numbers. Thanks to Allah, I am happy with what has been achieved and with the amount we have reached. 

I would like to thank all of you for your beautiful teamwork that's allowed us to help and educate these millions of people.

Now the work will start because those children are in need now, so we must put the team together and start.

If I want to tell you about al atta (giving) and hunger, I remember a story when I was a small child. My school is a walking distance from my house and next to the school my stable, (my father's stable at that time), and I - because the school is early - we wrap our bread in a piece of paper, the mother does and give it to you and you eat it on the way to the school. So I went to my horse and tasted the food and our food tasted better than it, so I said I would share my bread with my horse. So I used to eat half and give the other half for my horse - she was a filly - but of course lunchtime I will be hungry and I will be waiting for my sister and brother to finish their lunch and I will land like a hawk on the remainder.

Anyhow, in a day or two after that, when I opened the paper, I saw two piece of bread, and I said, "Thank God, the God gave me these two," so I give one to my horse and one to me. I didn't know that my mother notice what's happening and she gave me two.

The other story for the giving. I want to tell you that in the field battle, in the old days they used to fight with the sword, so after the battle there will be a lot of wounded people. So the lady came with the water to give to the first man and he looked at the one next to him and said "No, give it to the man beside me, because his wound is deeper."

She went around and, by the time she came to the first one, he was dead, so this is al karam wa al atta (generosity and giving). I am talking about in the old days and now Allah gave us and we must give back.

As a poet said, "Allah has given to you, Give from that which he has given you, Money is spent, Life comes to an end".

I will tell you another. I am just here to say thank you for all of you, but I'd like - who gave and who didn't give - to me it doesn't matter, but I don't mean anything, but I have to tell you this story.

There was a small merchant, my father helped him, and he become a big merchant, and the last few years, I helped him and make his wealth triple. Anyhow, he was absent from the Dubai Cares campaign, it is up to him. 

But I'll tell you another story about Yousuf Yaqoub. He's student and was getting married and for this campaign he stopped his party and gave Dubai Cares the money he was going to spend on the party - it was Dh150,000. Just to me, it touches the heart when you see somebody gives everything and many who disappear.

Anyhow I don't want ... you know what I am saying and I just want to thank you - very much - but I will ask... Normally, I am a leader and I am in front, yet why I was waiting and not give anything yet? Who will answer that?

Musabah, you are with me in the office and maybe you can answer? Or Ahmed? Or Mohammed? Because I waited to equal the budget. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I forgot something, one thing I forgot - to read the speech.