2016 was the Year of Reading, 2017 the Year of Giving … and 2018 will be the Year of Zayed…

As the Year of Giving draws to a close, we’re looking to 2018, which will be the Year of Zayed.

This is because 2018 will mark 100 years since the birth of the founding father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan.

The year will not only be about remembering all that Sheikh Zayed did to form the UAE of today, but it will also, like with the Year of Giving, be about instilling his values across the community.

From what we’ve read so far it sounds like this will mean initiatives, events and awards across the UAE that promote values of tolerance, progression, environmentalism and leadership, as well as charity. 

Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has said that 2018 being the Year of Zayed will mean it’s all about “tolerance”.

“The UAE’s image is founded on a core belief system of tolerance and coexistence,” he explained. “Nations across the world call to uphold and strengthen this belief in light of the growing fanaticism and hatred that threatens international peace and security.”

“The late Shaikh Zayed established a global school of tolerance and coexistence because he knew that from the Union’s beginnings, the UAE’s uniqueness lay in its ability to welcome different races, religions, and cultures without abandoning its social and cultural identity.The principles in which the late ruler believed, and strived for, were aimed at creating a world of coexistence and peace,” he added.