(CNN) - On Monday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, sent a message to the citizens of the Gulf states, in which he called on them to adhere to unity despite difference and diversity, and warned against being separated by the media and social networking sites and those he described as “those with narrow agendas and sick souls.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid wrote in a post on his official account on the “X” platform, previously Twitter, on Monday, in his book entitled “Messages”: “A message to the people of the Gulf, a message to the most beautiful dream... a message to the single history... the extended geography... the common lineages... and the deep-rooted kinship.”
He added: "A message to the one sea that brings us together... and the vast desert that includes us... a message to our Arabian Gulf... and its sons, generations, intellectuals and thinkers."
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid went on to say: “We, the sons of the Gulf, have all moved, thanks to God, from simple cities to global metropolises, from modest fishing ports to navigating international roads, and from searching for pearls to searching for the world’s largest investments. We have moved to modernity, ingenuity, and globalization, and, thanks to God, we remain possessors of a strong identity, a unique culture, and distinct authenticity.”
The Ruler of Dubai affirmed in his post: “We, the sons of the Gulf, have succeeded in a few years in building wealth, building 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, have been able to build humanity, consolidate love for the homelands, and promote the values of coexistence and tolerance with all who visited us, worked with us, and participated in our journey. We are the sons of the Gulf... the hope of the nation... and its kiss... And its hope for the resumption of its civilization, strength and glory.”
Mohammed bin Rashid said: “If homelands are built by history, then history brings us together. If they are united by terrain, then the sea connects us and the desert embraces us. If homelands are united by blood and lineage, then we are the owners of extended kinship and united lineages. If they are built by common ambitions and interests, then our goals are lofty and our goals are the same.”
He went on to say: “My brothers and sisters, sons of the Gulf... the arenas of geography, history, and blood will not unite us, and the arenas of media will divide us. Single development and common economic calculations will not bring us together, and communication calculations will separate us. Development agendas will not bring us together and those with narrow agendas and sick souls will separate us. They will not be able to erase centuries of neighbourliness, change the facts of geography, and change the reality of genealogy. What brought the Gulf together are not political agreements, but rather generations who lived on its banks, and mothers.” I prayed to the Lord for the return of his children and fathers united by religion on his soil. Hearts met in the Gulf before borders, lineages embraced before homelands, and love flourished in it before development.
He added: “The Gulf is a great tree whose branches are many, its fruits are beautiful, and its shades flourish, but its root is one, its root is one, its water is one, and its fate is one, God willing.”
Mohammed bin Rashid stressed: “My brothers and sisters... when the ambitions of the Gulf, the wealth of the Gulf, and the determination of the people of the Gulf converge, the impossible become mere projects that have not yet begun. And look at our experience in our country when the will and determination of seven emirates came together.”
He explained: “Our rapprochement creates a bridge between continents, a headquarters for the greatest civilizations, a global reserve of the greatest wealth, a beacon for the best centers of science and technology and universities, and a global influence that stands in the face of the greatest challenges.”
Mohammed bin Rashid added: “I am not talking here about a union between our countries, or ignoring the specificity of our experiences. Rather, I am talking about our rapprochement 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 the parts, and that strength is not to be a single copy, but rather diverse experiences that create a new civilizational momentum in our region,” according to his description.
He added: "Unity does not lie in opening borders, but rather in meeting hearts. Strength does not lie in eliminating differences, but in managing them to create new vitality. When different rivers flow into one sea, they do not lose their names, but rather create an ocean of opportunities, wealth, and power."
Mohammed bin Rashid concluded his message by saying: “I am optimistic about the Gulf and I will remain... The Gulf will remain, God willing, with its desert, with its children, with its sea and its ports... with its projects and the determination of its generations... with its spaces in which our dreams will soar that our Gulf will remain one and our people one... It calls with an uninterrupted voice: I am the Gulf and I am proud to be a Gulf. May God protect the Gulf... and perpetuate its pride, glory and prosperity. Your brother Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.”
