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Dubai Police and Zayed International Foundation for the Environment embarks on a world tour promoting Year of Zayed celebrations

Malaysia awakens to the environmental legacy of Sheikh Zayed, as Dubai Police, in association with the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, and with the support of the UAE Embassy in Malaysia, organizes a seminar and exhibition programme titled, Zayed Legacy, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

To mark the 100th birth anniversary of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE, whose visionary leadership set the course to UAE's growth and modern development, UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan had announced 2018 as the ‘Year of Zayed’ to commemorate the legacy of this great visionary leader who passed away in 2004. In support of this, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had issued a nation-wide call “to deliver a message to the world in 2018 that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE, is present and will remain forever in the heart and mind of everyone in the UAE”. Heeding this call, Dubai Police, in association with the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, and with the support of the UAE Embassy in Malaysia, embarked on a world tour to reinforce the memory of the late President and commemorate the Year of Zayed celebrations.

Accordingly, the two organisations promoted the Year of Zayed celebrations in Malaysia with an event titled ‘Zayed Legacy’ featuring a seminar and exhibitions of rare photographs demonstrating the visionary leadership of the Founding Father of the UAE.

The event celebrated the achievements of the UAE's founder, honouring his distinguishing traits as a model of humanity, generosity, leadership, perseverance and will. It also showcased his impact and legacy on the UAE and the world; and promoted the values that he upheld throughout his life. ‘Zayed Legacy’ highlighted how at the heart of the UAE’s spectacular achievements and its rise to a position of pre-eminence regionally and internationally, lies the vision of one man — Sheikh Zayed.

The one-day seminar and exhibition held on April 30, 2018 at Ritz Carlton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, also shed light on the legacy and leadership of the late UAE founding President in the area of environment, sustainable development and the culture of green living. HE Khalid Ghanem Al Ghaith, the UAE Ambassador to Malaysia, and Dr. Meshgan Al-Awar, Director, Research & Studies Center, Dubai Police Academy, and Secretary General of Zayed International Prize for the Environment, opened the seminar and exhibition in the presence of the Malaysian Prime Minister's Science Advisor Dr. Zakri Abdul Hamid, and Col. Abdullah Saeed Al Tayari, the UAE Military Attache to Malaysia. An elite gathering of intellectuals and professionals including a number of ambassadors, military attaches, university directors, senior academic staff of research centers, university professors and media personnel also attended the event.

The event was organized in cooperation and with the support of the UAE Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Dr. Meshgan Al Awar, Director, Research & Studies Center, Dubai Police Academy, and Captain Fahad Jassim Al-Ghuss, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, represented Dubai Police at the event.

In appreciation of Sheikh Zayed’s legacy

In his inaugural address, Ambassador Khalid Al Ghaith noted that the Dubai Police, under the directives of Major-General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-chief, had, in cooperation with the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, launched this special initiative that highlights the late ruler’s legacy in the field of environment and sustainable development.

He added that Sheikh Zayed’s vision always extended beyond the borders of the UAE, and he was widely loved and respected as a benevolent Arab and world statesman, who believed in unity, tolerance and compassion, and upheld the values of peaceful co-existence among peoples of the world.

Ambassador Khalid Al Ghaith also spoke of the love and respect Sheikh Zayed commanded among people across the globe, his extraordinary ability in recognizing the potential and shaping the UAE as a modern nation, his determined commitment to work for the benefit of all, and his leadership, humanitarian and environmental achievements that continue to play a distinct role in the daily life of the people of the UAE. The legacy, inspirational values and achievements of the late Sheikh Zayed have ranked him as an international leader and a beacon for future generations, he added.

Sheikh Zayed’s love of the environment

Speaking at the event in Kuala Lumpur, Dr. Meshgan Al-Awar said that Sheikh Zayed's efforts, personality and success have inspired many people not only in the region, but also throughout the world.

“Sheikh Zayed's vision and deep love of the environment enabled him to overcome the multiple challenges faced by the UAE; in particular, the problem of desertification,” she said. “The

UAE's founding father and visionary leader had always placed high emphasis on issues related to the environment particularly agriculture, protection of endangered animals, and conserving water and energy, amongst others. Sustaining the environment for generations to come was among the top priorities in his endeavours to build the country, paving the way for the country’s sustainable development."

"Today, we are very pleased to celebrate the Year of Zayed by organizing this seminar and exhibition in association with the UAE Embassy in Malaysia and the Dubai Police, to highlight the manifold achievements of Sheikh Zayed in multiple fields," she added.

Celebrating the country’s past, and preserving it for future generations, is something that was always close to Sheikh Zayed’s heart, continued Dr. Al Awar, adding that the chosen photographs at the exhibition showcase the historical significance of Sheikh Zayed’s rule and the impact of his legacy on the UAE.