As the country prepares to celebrate National Day, 28 gifted Emirati school pupils have begun their travels across the seven emirates on a journey of national identity.
The Journey of The Union, an initiative from Al Bayt Mitwahid, an association formed by employees of the Crown Prince Court, aims to teach the pupils about the achievements of each of the emirates over the past 43 years and foster greater awareness of the path and strength that shaped the United Arab Emirates.
As their journey continues, The National asked one of the students a few questions about the country they are exploring for the first time:
SAIF AL QAYIDI, 16, SHARJAH
If a visitor who had never been to the UAE was here for a day and you could show them anything, what would it be and why?
The Burj Khalifa and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The Burj reflects development and sophistication and the mosque reflects Islamic culture. There are many [attractions] and they all symbolise our nation.
What did you learn about that you did not know before?
I have acquired a lot of important knowledge about my country’s heritage. I visited economic, cultural and political landmarks that are part of the country’s affairs and have made the Emirati people faithful to their country.
What message will you take from the Journey of the Union?
They [the emirates] were brought together through the Union and there would be no achievements without it. Sheikh Zayed started by transforming the UAE into a green paradise, until it became one of the most advanced countries in the world.
What are the ideals that you would suggest to young people to give back to their community and country?
Allegiance to our homeland; and to work with dedication and tireless perseverance.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
