emirates7 - The late Sheikh Zayed’s nation-building philosophy was at the heart of an impassioned address at BRIDGE Summit 2025 – the world’s largest debut media event – as Dr. Ali Al Nuaimi urged global media leaders to “see the story of the UAE” through its people and principles rather than its skyline.
Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the UAE Federal National Council’s Defense Affairs, Interior & Foreign Affairs Committee, opened by declaring that the UAE’s success is “a content we want you to see, know and engage with,” adding: “We are a small, young country, but we believe we were able to a path for humanity.”
Reflecting on his generation’s modest upbringing, H.E Al Nuaimi said the UAE’s transformation stemmed from the founding leadership of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who made a decisive decision at the time: invest first in people.
He recalled how Sheikh Zayed “paid families to send their daughters to school”, breaking traditional resistance to girls’ education and laying the foundation for today’s generation of Emirati women who lead across government and society. “And this is a message for all those nations who face challenges because of their tradition, because of their culture, related to gender participation. There are lessons they can learn from the UAE,” he said.
“Empowerment of women is a path started by Sheikh Zayed,” he stressed. “Nine members of our cabinet and half of our parliament are a product of that system. We didn’t do this for propaganda – they earned it.”
Much of Al Nuaimi’s address centred on the UAE’s identity as a global model of coexistence. Sheikh Zayed, he noted, saw every community as a partner in building the nation – a belief that remains the bedrock of the country’s social fabric.
“Everyone in the UAE is welcome to live, work and fulfil their dreams. We don’t ask them to change – we accept them as they are,” he said to a resounding applause. With more than 200 nationalities living in the country, he stressed that diversity is a strategic advantage. He expanded on this theme using one of the most vivid moments from his speech: “This is why you have people from all over the world here in peace and harmony. They feel accepted as they are. They are respected.”
He explained that this ethos is intentionally embedded “through our education system, our religious narrative, our laws and our leadership’s direct engagement,” creating a society where respect “is within people’s DNA.”
Al Nuaimi said the ethos was central to the UAE’s international engagement. “We have to pass a message to the world that, as human beings – regardless of our nationality, religion or ethnicity – we have to learn how to live together in peace and harmony,” he said.
Al Nuaimi warned that globally, the greatest threat to societies comes from groups “who use religion as an ideology to serve their political agenda.” “The hate narrative is a threat to all societies and humanity.”
He emphasised that the UAE’s priority is to promote coexistence, tolerance, respect and acceptance – values that have often made the nation a target of extremist organisations.
Turning to geopolitics, he said the future of global stability is inseparable from Africa. By 2050, “50% of the world’s youth will be Africans,” he noted, highlighting why the UAE is now the largest investor and humanitarian provider in the continent. “We don’t go to Africa to compete,” he said. “We want to bring Africa on board. To build schools, hospitals, and infrastructure. To jobs for the new generation. They deserve that we pay attention to them, because they are human beings like us.”
“No one should be left behind,” he added, calling African development a moral as well as strategic responsibility.
Asked what he wished content creators would change, H.E Al Nuaimi made a direct appeal: “The world needs champions of peace. Your priority is often breaking news – but today, what we need is to promote peace, to win the hearts and minds of youth.”
Al Nuaimi concluded with a call to reflect and amplify the values that shaped the Emirati experience: “We have to learn how to live together in peace and harmony. We have to learn how to accept each other. This is the UAE heritage – this is Sheikh Zayed’s legacy.”
Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the UAE Federal National Council’s Defense Affairs, Interior & Foreign Affairs Committee, opened by declaring that the UAE’s success is “a content we want you to see, know and engage with,” adding: “We are a small, young country, but we believe we were able to a path for humanity.”
Reflecting on his generation’s modest upbringing, H.E Al Nuaimi said the UAE’s transformation stemmed from the founding leadership of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who made a decisive decision at the time: invest first in people.
He recalled how Sheikh Zayed “paid families to send their daughters to school”, breaking traditional resistance to girls’ education and laying the foundation for today’s generation of Emirati women who lead across government and society. “And this is a message for all those nations who face challenges because of their tradition, because of their culture, related to gender participation. There are lessons they can learn from the UAE,” he said.
“Empowerment of women is a path started by Sheikh Zayed,” he stressed. “Nine members of our cabinet and half of our parliament are a product of that system. We didn’t do this for propaganda – they earned it.”
Much of Al Nuaimi’s address centred on the UAE’s identity as a global model of coexistence. Sheikh Zayed, he noted, saw every community as a partner in building the nation – a belief that remains the bedrock of the country’s social fabric.
“Everyone in the UAE is welcome to live, work and fulfil their dreams. We don’t ask them to change – we accept them as they are,” he said to a resounding applause. With more than 200 nationalities living in the country, he stressed that diversity is a strategic advantage. He expanded on this theme using one of the most vivid moments from his speech: “This is why you have people from all over the world here in peace and harmony. They feel accepted as they are. They are respected.”
He explained that this ethos is intentionally embedded “through our education system, our religious narrative, our laws and our leadership’s direct engagement,” creating a society where respect “is within people’s DNA.”
Al Nuaimi said the ethos was central to the UAE’s international engagement. “We have to pass a message to the world that, as human beings – regardless of our nationality, religion or ethnicity – we have to learn how to live together in peace and harmony,” he said.
Al Nuaimi warned that globally, the greatest threat to societies comes from groups “who use religion as an ideology to serve their political agenda.” “The hate narrative is a threat to all societies and humanity.”
He emphasised that the UAE’s priority is to promote coexistence, tolerance, respect and acceptance – values that have often made the nation a target of extremist organisations.
Turning to geopolitics, he said the future of global stability is inseparable from Africa. By 2050, “50% of the world’s youth will be Africans,” he noted, highlighting why the UAE is now the largest investor and humanitarian provider in the continent. “We don’t go to Africa to compete,” he said. “We want to bring Africa on board. To build schools, hospitals, and infrastructure. To jobs for the new generation. They deserve that we pay attention to them, because they are human beings like us.”
“No one should be left behind,” he added, calling African development a moral as well as strategic responsibility.
Asked what he wished content creators would change, H.E Al Nuaimi made a direct appeal: “The world needs champions of peace. Your priority is often breaking news – but today, what we need is to promote peace, to win the hearts and minds of youth.”
Al Nuaimi concluded with a call to reflect and amplify the values that shaped the Emirati experience: “We have to learn how to live together in peace and harmony. We have to learn how to accept each other. This is the UAE heritage – this is Sheikh Zayed’s legacy.”