Abu Dhabi, 2 Dec. 2008 - The Centre of Information Affairs in Abu Dhabi has organized a symposium on "Zayed: Immortal Achievements", on the occasion of the 4th anniversary of the passing of the founder of the nation, late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Senior political, intellectual, and academic figures participated in the event.

The symposium was opened by statement delivered by the Information Advisor, HE Mohammed Khalifa Al Murar. He said that the memory of time records the history of mankind, and "as we stand today to review the civilization march of this blessed country, we pay tribute to the personality of late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan-that unique character which was an example to be followed in terms of ambitions, achievements and endeavors to realize welfare and decent living to people and mankind everywhere".

"The exceptional leader died, the kind heart ceased to beat but it was full of mercy, kindness and tenderness. Nevertheless, Sheikh Zayed will never leave our memory despite succession of time", said the Information Advisor. He also said that Sheikh Zayed spared no effort to make this country the heaven for faith, security, tolerance, love and solidarity.

He stated that since his passing, late Sheikh Zayed has been still cited in the prayers of mothers and present in the memories of fathers, children, orphans and the needy people, who will always remember him.

On his part, Mr. Keiichiro Okabe, Chairman of Arab-Japan Association, and Chairman of Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., said that late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan was a statesman by all means, stating that during his 38 years as President, the UAE has developed rapidly and occupied a good strong position among the world nations.

He stated that during his meetings with late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan on a number of occasions, he got the impression that Sheikh Zayed was "a unique man characterized by great wisdom when tackling affairs, strong patience when facing calamities, a wide heart when establishing friendly relations with his people and people of other countries and a highly skilled diplomat, not to mention his kind hospitality, generosity and popularity among his people, the gulf and Arab people around the world".

Speaking about UAE-Japanese relations, Mr. Okabe pointed out that bilateral relations between the two countries were further boosted in 1990 when Sheikh Zayed made his historic visit to Japan, and when in 1995 both the Japanese Crown Prince and Crown Princess visited the UAE to further promote the bilateral relations.

On his part, Mr. Jarno Juhani Peltonen, Professor of Cultural History at University of Helsinki, said in his paper, entitled "Vision of Late Sheikh Zayed of Humane Action", that late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan was a national leader and world statesman who accomplished a magnificent life-work in many aspects. "Today we are looking at his achievements from the humanistic point of view, while he himself said that the financial resources were a tool to facilitate the development of what he considered to be the real wealth of the country - its people and particularly the younger generation," he noted.

He said that the modern UAE is a fruit of Seikh Zayed's tireless efforts, and of his humane actions as a statesman, and a pious man. He united the small emirate states into a federation with wealth, independence and strong identity, said Mr. Peltonen, adding that, in his strategies Sheikh Zayed favored qualities like tolerance, peacefulness and brotherhood.

Mr. Peltonen said that Sheikh Zayed was an ardent unifier and remarkable modernizer, who built a young nation with record of extraordinary progress. He indicated that Sheikh Zayed's commitment to Arab causes, humanitarian relief, the environment, and improvement of the human condition gave him worldwide recognition as enlightened leadership.

He indicated that the conviction of Sheikh Zayed was that the greatest use of wealth is to invest it in creating generations of educated and trained people, mentioning that free education from kindergarten to university level was provided for all nationals. Women in particular "have embraced the impressive educational opportunities", he said.

Mr. Peltonen stated that Sheikh Zayed believed that both men and women should play their part in the society, and in UAE women's rights are guaranteed by the constitution.

On her part, Professor Irina Pavlovskaya said, in her paper, entitled "Humanity of Sheikh Zayed," that "thanks to the wise leadership and farsighted vision of late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates enjoyed a superb leap forward to an extent unparalleled in the midst of a very rapid process of modernization in the fields of social and economic development".

She stated that "ideals of Sheikh Zayed, which are translated in his great humanitarian attitudes, extended not only to the UAE but also to the whole international community". The speaker said, "It was the exemplary leadership of H. H. Sheikh Zayed that taught generations that wealth could be meaningless if it is not spent on the well being and prosperity of the people".

Professor Pavlovskaya pointed out that late Sheikh Zayed paid special attention to woman's issues in his country, paving the way for women to go further in their quest for knowledge. She affirmed that Sheikh Zayed was "a strong proponent of women's rights". She stated that Sheikh Zayed believed that women are an integral part of the society and it is their duty to contribute to the development of their country side by side with men, adding that it is no wonder that UAE's women have embarked on various fields of work.

She stated that late Sheikh Zayed's charity vision was translated in the formation of the Red Crescent Society as a humanitarian body through which the UAE addresses humanitarian disasters and other problems anywhere in the world. "Today, the UAE ranks 7th in the world and the first among the Arab countries to engage in relief assistance in many parts of the globe", noted the speaker.

The researcher said that late Sheikh Zayed always stressed the need to focus on childcare because he viewed this issue as the sound base for building a healthy society. She also indicated that the UAE has been leading the global efforts to alleviate the suffering of children in many hotspots worldwide.

She stressed that children with special needs have been given top priority in national plans for children welfare and personal care from the late President Sheikh Zayed, noting that they have been enjoying the love and support of all sectors of the community.

She quoted Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak as saying: "H. H. late Sheikh Zayed was a source of inspiration for all the people in the UAE, and His Highness's noble values constituted his holistic approach to these issues and consequently led to the remarkable transformation of the UAE in every facet of life".

The information Affairs Office has also published a study on the occasion to highlight some aspects of the life of late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

It indicates that Sheikh Zayed was not an ordinary leader; his leadership was exceptional by all standards. The study says that his life was full of achievements in all aspects of life. He built education and health institutions and established giant industries, which made the UAE a solid base attracting the international economic circles, the study points out.

It affirms that late Sheikh Zayed managed to make the UAE a modern, prosperous country, which enjoyed the respect of the world and played big role in the international arena.

It tackles the great interest late Sheikh Zayed showed to the UAE women and children, as he considered mothers to be the makers of generations and effective contributors to nation building.

The study also highlights Sheikh Zayed's interest in the disabled and people with special needs, and his keenness to provide them with care, training and education.

It also touched on Sheikh Zayed's humanitarian initiatives and generous aids to the needy people all over the world. (WAM/MAB)