As the UAE turns 50, Sheikha Fatima, the Mother of the Nation, has much to be proud of.
She fondly recalls the journey of Emirati women – of all her “daughters” – over the past five decades. She has borne witness to their many achievements that came about with hard work and determination, backed by a leader who fought for women’s empowerment.
In an exclusive interview with The National, Sheikha Fatima, who is the Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, said it had not been an easy journey but it was worth it as she now sees her country’s women leading in all fields.
“I feel so proud as I witness what the daughters of the Emirates, my daughters, are achieving,” she said.
“When I look back at the past 50 years, I see a lot of things that fill me with pride.
I am proud of my country’s achievements as it embarks on its ambitions to conquer space and explore Mars and other planets
Sheikha Fatima,
Mother of the Nation
“How can I not feel proud to witness all the great achievements and transformations that the UAE has achieved in a relatively short time?
“How can I not feel proud and honoured to have been next to the late Founder Sheikh Zayed, may God rest his soul, in all that he did to turn his dream into reality?
“It was his dream to turn the vast desert into modern cities that people visit from all over the world and find stability, comfort, happiness, care, security, safety and tolerance. I feel proud and honoured for being his partner in making this dream come true.
“How can I not feel proud when I see our union standing tall to present a unique model of unity, solidarity and development day after day? I see the leaders of the Emirates follow Zayed’s approach and continue the march of progress and advancement.
“I am proud of my country’s achievements as it embarks on its ambitions to conquer space and explore Mars and other planets.”
The wife of the Founding Father said she and the country owe it to him and his policies that put the UAE on the global map.
And he will always remain in the hearts of the people.
“The late Sheikh Zayed is present in our hearts, souls and our daily actions. It was the values and principles he imbibed in us, and the legacy and approach he left for us,” Sheikha Fatima said.
Sheikha Fatima said women played an integral role in the development of the country long before the discovery of oil.
“Throughout centuries, women in the UAE have never shied from taking responsibility," she said.
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“Even before the establishment of the state and in the pre-oil emergence era, women were partners of men at work, whether in agriculture or cattle grazing, in addition to bearing the responsibility of raising children and taking care of family affairs.
“In the coastal areas, men went hunting and women ran the affairs of life in the society until men returned.”
But women took on more prominent roles after the UAE was formed in 1971. It was just two years later that Sheikha Fatima set up the country’s first association for women.
“My council was located in Qasr Al Bahr. Every Saturday and Tuesday, I received women from the community to talk to them, learn about their needs, difficulties and obstacles so that they and the society could develop,” she said.
“I then presented these issues and ideas to Sheikh Zayed. With the expansion of Abu Dhabi city and the increase in its population, the idea of establishing the first women’s association was born in the country.
“Sheikh Zayed welcomed this idea and soon the Al-Nahda Al-Dhabianiya Association was set up in February 1973.”
The association organised literacy classes for women, especially divorcees and widows, to help them read and write.
It taught them to become financially independent by making and selling handicrafts.
And Sheikh Zayed personally oversaw the progress of the association.
“He supervised the association’s work and launched activities and exhibitions there to encourage women and urge families to allow girls and women to frequently visit the association and benefit from the services it offered,” Sheikha Fatima said.
“His constant encouragement helped me to become the first wife of a president in the Gulf region to participate in women's work in her country and to make official visits outside the country.”
But that path to progress was not always easy, Sheikha Fatima said.
“We started from scratch and we faced many obstacles due to the social conditions that prevailed at the time.
“We had to deal with them with caution and wisdom to avoid a clash with the traditions and customs of society – an approach set by Sheikh Zayed that we still adhere to.
“Some may be surprised that we started women’s work with only four women.
“But with much patience and determination, we were able to attract a large number of girls and women to participate in the activities that we offered through the association.
“And in order to spread education and make it available to women without being restricted to a specific age group, we opened adult literacy classes which had a significant impact in reducing illiteracy among women.”
The old association developed and lead to the birth of The General Women's Union on August 27, 1975.
“Now, when I reflect on the national achievements of Emirati women and their clear fingerprints in various fields inside and outside the country, I feel proud of every daughter of this country, from all generations," she said.
“I’m proud of women pioneers who put in a lot of effort, had patience and persisted with determination and hope to overcome all the early difficulties to reach where we are today.
“The late Sheikh Zayed was the first supporter of women and I feel grateful and proud that his dream has been achieved.
“The daughters of the Emirates became ministers, doctors, engineers, diplomats, businesswomen, judges and state representative in world organisations and institutions and other fields in the modern era.”
Sheikha Fatima said a strong family bond remains as important as it was in pre-digital times.
She urged everyone to focus on relationships in a world dominated by social media.
“I would like to draw the attention of my children and grandchildren to the need of maintaining the vigour of human relations on the ground,” she said.
“I have noticed a decline in personal relationships and communication as people take to social media, which has become everyone's interest.
“Our heritage, customs and traditions are also still present in our lives, and we still adhere to the family bond we grew up with.”
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
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The years Ramadan fell in May
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
THE POPE'S ITINERARY
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
GREATEST ROYAL RUMBLE CARD
The line-up as it stands for the Greatest Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia on April 27
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship
Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns
Casket match
The Undertaker v Rusev
Intercontinental Championship
Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The Bludgeon Brothers v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship
Sheamus and Cesaro v Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy
United States Championship
Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
Singles match
Triple H v John Cena
To be confirmed
AJ Styles will defend his WWE World Heavyweight title and Cedric Alexander his Cruiserweight Championship, but matches have yet to be announced
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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