Mohammed bin Rashid: The Gulf is a great tree with one root and one destiny

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, addressed the people of the Gulf in his book “Letters,” the second part of “Life Taught Me.” The book comprises 26 letters that His Highness addresses to his children, his family, his team, his countrymen, and the world, distilling the essence of six decades of public service to serve as a cognitive and intellectual reference for current and future generations.

We are the sons of the Gulf. By God’s grace, we have all transitioned from simple towns to global metropolises, from modest fishing ports to hubs of international maritime routes, and from pearl diving to pursuing the world’s largest investments. We have moved into modernity, excellence, and globalization, yet, thanks be to God, we have remained people of strong identity, unique culture, and distinct authenticity.

We are the sons of the Gulf who, in just a few years, succeeded in building wealth, establishing institutions, connecting continents, hosting the largest events, and supplying the world with the energy that drives economies. But greater than that, we, the sons of the Gulf, managed to build human capital, instill love for our homelands, and strengthen the values of coexistence and tolerance with all who visited us, worked with us, and shared in our journey.

If homelands are built on history, then history unites us. If they are united by geography, then the sea connects us and the desert embraces us. If homelands are bound by blood and lineage, then we are people of extended kinship and shared ancestry. If they are built on aspirations and common interests, then our goals are noble and our objectives are one.

No one can erase centuries of proximity, alter the facts of geography, or change the reality of lineage. What has united the Gulf is not political agreements, but generations that lived on its shores, mothers who prayed to God for the return of their sons, and fathers whom religion united on its soil. Hearts converged in the Gulf before borders were drawn, kinship embraced before homelands were established, and love flourished before development took root.

When the aspirations, wealth, and determination of the Gulf converge, impossibilities become merely projects not yet started. Look at our experience in our country when the will and resolve of the seven Emirates came together.

I am not speaking here of a union among our countries, nor of ignoring the uniqueness of our experiences, but rather of our convergence and cooperation, managing our differences, strengthening our institutions, and coordinating our efforts. Because history teaches us that the whole is stronger than the sum of its parts, and that strength does not mean being a single copy, but rather diverse experiences that create a new civilizational momentum in our region.

Unity is not in opening borders, but in the gathering of hearts. Strength is not in eliminating differences, but in managing them to create new vitality. When different rivers flow into one sea, they do not lose their names; rather, they create an ocean of opportunities, wealth, and strength.

I am optimistic about the Gulf, and I will remain so. The Gulf will endure, by God’s will, with its deserts, its people, its sea, and its ports; with its projects and the determination of its generations; with its vast spaces where our dreams will soar that our Gulf remains one and our people remain one, calling out in an unceasing voice: “I am a Gulf Arab, and I am proud to be a Gulf Arab.”