At the beginning of his remarks, His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi highlighted the profound impact of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Dubai’s development and on restoring the region’s confidence in its own capabilities.
During the opening session of the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum today, His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Chairman of the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development, affirmed that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, did more than transform Dubai. He restored confidence in the region’s ability to compete with the world. His Excellency explained that the best message we can offer His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid is not what we say today, but what we do.
Speaking about loyalty to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, His Excellency emphasized that continuing the work and safeguarding what has been achieved are the most meaningful ways to express gratitude and appreciation to the leader.
His Excellency stressed that the best way to thank a leader who has devoted his life to work is to keep working, protect what he has built, and carry the responsibility forward as he taught his team to do, saying: “We will always remain Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s team, just as he has always wanted us to be.”
His Excellency also addressed the significance of the forum in bringing together government and private sector leaders, uniting them around a shared commitment to working for the future.
His Excellency said the forum, which brings together 1,000 leaders from Dubai’s government and private sectors, bears the name of the leader who gathers them every year as one team: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s team. His Excellency noted that the remarks delivered today represent a message of gratitude and affection from the team to His Highness, as well as a pledge for the future.
The Book of Messages and 60 Years of Leadership and Service
His Excellency discussed Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s book, “Messages,” and the lessons it conveys from a long journey of leadership and service to the nation.
His Excellency added that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum published “Messages” this year, the second part of his book “What Life Has Taught Me.” In it, he addressed messages to his brother, His Highness the President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum, his brothers, his people, and everyone entrusted with the responsibility of serving the nation, reflecting on 60 years of leadership and work for the country.
Discussing the philosophy of leadership, His Excellency emphasized the importance of developing people alongside building projects, raising the question of what message the team could offer its leader in return.
His Excellency explained that His Highness writes because he believes a leader’s responsibility is not limited to building something for people, but also includes building something within people. His Excellency noted that Sheikh Mohammed conveys his messages through what he writes, says, and does, before asking: “But what is our message to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid? What do we write to the leader who changed our lives?”
His Excellency also reflected on the scale of Dubai’s transformation over six decades, emphasizing that the impact of this journey extends far beyond physical development to society, culture, and people.
His Excellency affirmed that it is difficult to capture what Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has accomplished over six decades through a single airport, tower, or project. He built a city, and with it, a society, a culture, and people, establishing a model for the region.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Taught Us How to Dream and That the Impossible Can Be Achieved
Reflecting on the lessons Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid shared with his team, His Excellency emphasized ambition, confidence in people, and the importance of turning aspirations into reality through hard work.
His Excellency said: “His Highness taught us how to dream, then gave us the confidence to achieve all our dreams. He taught us to think globally, that ambition is limited neither by resources nor geography, that people are the foundation, the mind is the resource, work is the way, and that the impossible can be achieved.”
His Excellency also spoke about Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s role in changing perceptions of what is possible and establishing a diversified economic model built on human potential rather than reliance on traditional resources.
His Excellency noted that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid raised expectations, changed the understanding of what was possible, and gave his team the confidence to compete for the top position globally. His Excellency added that at a time when many viewed the region through its conflicts, saw its glory as belonging to the past, and considered oil its main source of wealth, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid believed in people and established a diversified economy spanning trade, aviation, tourism, finance, technology, and space.
Reflecting on the results of this approach, His Excellency pointed to Dubai’s experience as a source of inspiration for cities seeking to develop their economies and infrastructure.
His Excellency explained that Dubai witnessed ideas becoming reality and dreams turning into opportunities that changed people’s lives. Its experience became a model that cities around the world look to as they seek to develop tourism, infrastructure, airports, and their ability to attract talent.
Dubai: A City That Attracts the World, Talent, and Businesses
His Excellency highlighted how Dubai changed the traditional pattern of people leaving their home cities in search of opportunities, becoming a destination that attracts talent and businesses from around the world.
His Excellency said young people in the Arab world had grown accustomed to leaving their cities for the West in search of a future. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, however, built a city that draws people, talent, and companies from across the world because they find safety, opportunity, respect for work, and recognition of competence.
Addressing the human and social dimensions of Dubai’s development, His Excellency highlighted the values of tolerance and coexistence that have made the city home to people of different cultures and nationalities.
His Excellency added: “In a world torn apart by conflicts, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed built a society that brings together different religions, cultures, and nationalities with dignity and tolerance,” affirming that His Highness created an environment where everyone has room to dream and a society that recognizes the value of every human being.
People’s Satisfaction Is a Goal That Must Be Achieved Under Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s Leadership
His Excellency then turned to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s approach to government administration, highlighting his presence in the field and his direct attention to the satisfaction of people receiving government services.
His Excellency discussed His Highness’s approach to government work, noting that he was always present in the field, testing, asking questions, and following up. His question, which captured the very purpose of government, was: “Are people satisfied?”
His Excellency also described how Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid challenged conventional thinking by placing public satisfaction and the achievement of results at the heart of government work.
His Excellency said: “People used to say that satisfying people was an unattainable goal, but Sheikh Mohammed taught us that people’s satisfaction is a goal that must be achieved.” His Excellency added that whenever teams hesitated, His Highness would ask: “Why not?”
Dubai’s Culture of Achievement and the Number-One Mindset
Speaking about the impact of this leadership approach on institutional performance, His Excellency explained how Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s vision transformed decision-making and accelerated project delivery.
His Excellency affirmed that this approach changed how people think and work, reinforcing the understanding that behind every service is a person waiting, that responsibility is a trust, and that serving people is an honor. It also established that a decision that might otherwise take a month can be settled in a minute, while a project once believed to require many years can be completed in record time.
His Excellency further emphasized that the culture of excellence and speed was not limited to government institutions but extended to the private sector, entrepreneurs, and young people.
His Excellency explained that this spirit spread throughout the business community, the private sector, and among young people, helping establish a culture of being number one. Dubai became synonymous with achievement and hard work, and with accomplishing exceptional things through precision, excellence, and speed.
Three Decades of Working With Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Reveal His Leadership and Character
His Excellency recalled moments from his long experience working closely with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, highlighting his decisiveness and courage in confronting challenges.
Reflecting on more than three decades of working alongside Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, His Excellency said he had witnessed His Highness make the most difficult decisions, seen his courage when others hesitated, and observed his speed when others waited.
Drawing on his personal experience, His Excellency also shared stories that reflected Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s compassion, his concern for people, and the importance he places on human relationships.
His Excellency added that he had also come to know Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s human side. He had seen him personally follow up on the treatment of a child whose family could not afford medical care, listen to people in need, and check on the circumstances of those facing hardship in Africa. His Excellency recalled a personal moment he would never forget. While Sheikh Mohammed was signing copies of his books for several leaders, he picked up another copy and wrote a special dedication to His Excellency’s mother, knowing how important his late mother was to him.
Through these experiences, His Excellency highlighted Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s personal qualities and the lasting impact he has had on the lives of leaders and individuals who have worked with him.
His Excellency affirmed that such details reflect more than formal traditions; they reveal a person’s true character. His Excellency added: “This is how I saw Sheikh Mohammed: a decisive leader, an inspiring teacher, and a generous human being.” His Excellency noted that many of the leaders attending the forum have personal experiences with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, or remember words and opportunities that changed their lives. His Excellency considered one of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s greatest achievements to be his ability to bring out the best in everyone.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Restored the Region’s Confidence in Its Ability to Compete Globally
Reflecting on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s leadership legacy, His Excellency emphasized that restoring confidence in the capabilities of people across the region represents an achievement that goes beyond building projects and cities.
His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi said history will remember Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid as the leader who built Dubai, but it will remember an even greater achievement: that he restored confidence to the people of this region and showed them they could compete with the world and achieve what had once been considered impossible.
A Message of Gratitude and a Pledge to Continue the Work and Preserve Achievements
Concluding his remarks, His Excellency expressed the team’s gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, reflecting on how his leadership raised ambitions and helped build a city and society that have become sources of pride and inspiration.
At the conclusion of his speech, His Excellency addressed a message to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, saying: “You wrote for us some of what life has taught you, and today we tell you some of what you have taught us. Thank you for believing in us, raising our ambitions, and enabling us to achieve what we once thought impossible.” His Excellency added: “You built for us a city we are proud of, a society where we feel secure about our children, and a model that inspired the world.”
His Excellency concluded by reaffirming Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s team’s commitment to continuing the journey of achievement, emphasizing that genuine loyalty is demonstrated through work, responsibility, and the preservation of what has been accomplished.
His Excellency renewed the pledge to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to preserve his achievements and continue the journey of work, emphasizing that the message from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s team is not merely one of gratitude, but a pledge for the future. His Excellency stressed that true loyalty to a leader who has dedicated his life to work and achievement lies in continuing that work and carrying the responsibility forward.
