Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has launched a new book featuring 26 personal letters, opening with a tribute to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.
WEBDESK – SharjahNews.ae
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, has launched The Letters, a collection of 26 messages reflecting on leadership, public service, family and the UAE’s development.
The book, the second installment in Sheikh Mohammed’s Lessons from Life series, draws on nearly six decades of his public service and experiences in government.
The opening letter, titled “A Message to My Brother Mohamed bin Zayed,” is addressed to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Sheikh Mohammed describes the president as a close friend, companion and leader whose role has been central to the country’s development.
In the letter, Sheikh Mohammed recalls knowing Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in different capacities, including as a military commander and statesman. He reflects on his leadership during major international events and his response to crises and disasters.
He also praises Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s approach to international relations, describing him as a statesman who has earned respect for the UAE.
The letter places particular emphasis on the impact of leadership on ordinary citizens and future generations.
Sheikh Mohammed uses the example of a young girl travelling safely to school, witnessing the UAE’s development and growing up with confidence in her future.
He writes that giving young people a sense of security, optimism and ambition represents one of the most important achievements of leadership.
“Today, you are that spirit, my brother,” Sheikh Mohammed writes. “You are the spirit of the nation.”
The letter also examines the UAE’s economic and institutional development, saying Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has helped transform ambitions into institutions, ideas into projects and international relationships into economic, political and investment links.
Sheikh Mohammed says the country’s progress cannot be sustained through past achievements alone. He warns that nations risk decline when they stop evolving or when younger generations become complacent.
He argues that prosperity brings responsibility and that the UAE’s younger generation must build on the achievements inherited from previous generations.
The book’s 26 letters are addressed to Sheikh Mohammed’s family, his team, UAE citizens and readers around the world. They cover lessons from his personal experiences, decisions taken during public service and projects developed during his career.
In explaining the purpose of the book, Sheikh Mohammed said experiences eventually pass, but ideas can endure and help future generations facing similar responsibilities.
The collection also reflects on the importance of preparing young people not only to benefit from economic prosperity but to create wealth, develop institutions and shape the future.
Sheikh Mohammed concludes his opening letter by emphasizing that leadership should be measured not simply by authority but by responsibility.
The president, he writes, carries the hopes of children and the responsibility of preparing a generation capable of continuing the UAE’s journey while preserving its legacy.
The Letters follows the first volume of the Lessons from Life series and offers a personal account of Sheikh Mohammed’s reflections after almost 60 years of public service.
