Since the establishment of United Arab Emirates (UAE), our founding fathers have put human beings at the center of development. This vision is engraved in the golden words of late H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who said: "Developing human being is the best investment we can make in our land, and it is the cornerstone of development." Therefore, our wise government has always prioritised caring for people in all its visions and strategies. This has helped in building an unparalleled nation with unmatched advancements and achievements in every field.

Five decades of achievements have made the UAE a leader among advanced nations in humanitarian, scientific, cultural, official, and public aspects. Our beloved country has consolidated its prestigious position regionally and globally and has become the capital of global sports, as it embraces other cultures, promotes coexistence and forgiveness, and has a solid infrastructure.

The wise leadership has shown great support for sports and established a strong infrastructure that enabled us to host the biggest Arabic, continental and international sporting events. Our establishments have become a favored destination for teams from around the world to train and prepare and hold matches. In addition to international stars visiting Zayed Sports City throughout the year, our sports' champions are becoming ambassadors in every sporting event they participate in, representing our sports diplomacies and humanitarian values which have become known to all. Sports diplomacy has become one of the UAE's main pillars for establishing its position in the eyes of the world, and this has turned sports into an essential driver for soft power. Being active in sports is now a lifestyle in the UAE, and a way to bridge gaps and reach out and collaborate with countries from around the world with different customs, traditions and cultures.

In order to maintain sports' effectiveness as a soft power, we must continue to develop our tools, plans and programs. We must create new promising visions and find an appropriate implementation technique that turns plans and ideas into a reality. Therefore, the General Authority of Sports (GAS) is currently working with its strategic partners to build a comprehensive system that ensures the effectiveness of every party's support for the sports environment and provides all assets that may assist in its development.

Today, we must advance our relationship with the other sectors in order to reach the best forms of planning, implementation, discovering talents, and building champions. Aspiring for a prosperous future for sports compels us to work tirelessly today and bring forth new ideas that will help us remain a shining beacon in the field of sports.

Sports is one of the main pillars of soft power, and we must do our best to maintain its global affect, by continuing to work and persevere, and through continuous collaboration and coordination among all sectors.