Allah has bestowed upon us life in a country where stability, optimism and prosperity prevail. However, due to the surrounding region's hardships and the changing nature of the world, the UAE now faces numerous challenges. These challenges can only be overcome through increased cooperation and solidarity. Unfortunately, we are living in an age in which division and suspicion have replaced solidarity and mutual respect.

Consequently, we have to work on building trust and understanding with other countries and nations. Whether the challenges we face are global, such as climate change, regional, such as extremism, or local, such as the diversification of our economic resources, they all require that we work hand in hand with the international community.

To build this desired international cooperation, we have to provide other countries with information about our culture and noble values, since this forms a sturdy base for long-lasting partnerships in the face of political, economic and security challenges. By introducing our national culture and deep-rooted values to other countries, we can give the region's nations a ray of hope, something desperately needed by many of our Arab youth. By showing them that our pride and respect for our religion, our noble Arab heritage and our national culture reflect our liberation and our progress, we provide them with a positive, alternative outlook.  

For this reason, I was honored to receive instructions from His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to establish a special bureau for public and cultural diplomacy as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Our main duty will be swift cooperation with UAE federal and local cultural authorities, to help our vast network of diplomatic delegations around the world achieve greater international understanding and attraction to UAE culture and values, in addition to reinforcing political, economic and security cooperation between the UAE and other countries.

Cultural exchange is one way we can achieve these goals, whether through the arts (music and painting), humanities (writing and cinema) and science. This is why the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Dubai Expo 2020 are two extremely important achievements, since they are a powerful expression of our shared humanity. This is also why we must participate in introducing our creative artists and our creative sector to the world. Creative works of art offer important ways to share our culture and values, because these works create two-way and multifaceted communication between nations, stirring shared human emotions, and transcending language barriers.

Art is not the only way to educate other nations on our shared values. We can also do that by inviting foreign students into UAE universities and encouraging foreign universities to study our culture, as well as participating in international sports events and finding more ways to engage the millions of individuals who visit the UAE every year.

I will be working with my coworkers, both inside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and beyond, finding ways to blend our rich cultural fabric with and powerful foreign policy, and making sure that UAE embassies do everything in their power to support and strengthen these efforts and introduce our country’s culture and values to other nations. For example, we will consider how to build on this year's successful Emirati-French cultural dialogue, in order to involve young leaders from various countries in the cultural exchange process and to promote the emergence of our culture in foreign capitals. 

We will also be developing a "toolkit" to enable UAE embassies worldwide to implement  cultural initiatives, and we will collaborate with the Emirates Diplomatic Academy to train our diplomats in cultural and public diplomacy. This priority is not limited to dialogue with political leaders but also with public opinion leaders in the fields of culture, media, commerce, education and sports, as well as with the people of a country in general.

Furthermore, our focus should not fall solely on Western countries, such as the United States and the European community, although these continue to be important to us. Instead, our priorities should extend to strengthen the bridges of communication and cultural understanding between the UAE and important Asian countries, such as China and India. We also need to do everything in our power to cement our relationships with countries in the region, to work closely with our principal allies and partners, especially those in the Arabian Gulf region such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to reach out to neighbors, such as Iraq.

Our cultural diplomacy must reflect UAE values of tolerance and the avoidance of extremism and sectarianism, and should reinforce the country’s ties to all Arab nations, regardless of religious or sectarian affiliations. Despite the significant changes the UAE has witnessed over the past half century, our culture has not abandoned its noble, deep-rooted values: our commitment to empowering women, investing in the well being of society, providing visitors and expats with an open, economically attractive and culturally rich environment, continuous progress and innovation, compassion for less-privileged people and organizations, tolerance to diverse religions and cultures, the affirmation of mutual respect, and the promotion of ethics and morality.

UAE citizens, both nationals and residents, practice these values continuously in their everyday lives. This is what makes our job easier. All we have to do is provide the world with a window into this sublime culture and promote dialogue about our shared values. In a world where many are closing doors, the UAE will continue to overcome barriers, supporting its national welfare and unique character.

His Excellency Zaki Nussaibah

Minister of State

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation