Page 149 - MINISTRY OF CULTURE PR REPORT - MAY 2025 (ENGLISH)

5/29/25, 5:05 PM Nahyan bin Mubarak: We learnt from Zayed that 'identity' and 'tolerance' are not slogans but interconnected actions - Aletihad News…

About a week ago, you launched a distinguished community initiative represented by the "My UAE Story" competition
in Arabic and English. What is the goal of this competition? And what are your expectations from it?

The "My UAE Story" competition is a vibrant portrait of a cohesive society that cherishes its national identity and
embodies the best humanitarian principles. It stems from our deep belief that every individual in this nation has a story
worth telling, and that these stories, no matter how simple, reflect the spirit of the Union and highlight the values upon
which the UAE was built: tolerance, respect, openness, and pride in identity.

Our goal with this competition is to provide all members of society with the opportunity to express their human and
living experience in the UAE, whether they are citizens or residents. We want to hear from students, mothers,
professionals, creatives, and everyone who has contributed to building this land or been influenced by it. We expect
this initiative to receive widespread interaction, given the free space it represents for expression and the emotional and
national dimensions it carries.

We hope that these contributions will create a living and diverse archive of the UAE's image in the eyes of its
residents, and that they will contribute to consolidating the meanings of pride and belonging, and serve as a source of
inspiration for each other and for future generations.

The initiative is a joint effort between the Ministry and the Fund. Are there other partnerships contributing to
the organisational efforts behind the initiative?

An initiative of this scale and ambition cannot rely solely on the efforts of one entity, or even several. From the
beginning, we were committed to ensuring that the "My UAE Story" competition would be a comprehensive community
initiative.

To that end, we built effective partnerships with a range of national institutions across various sectors. We will
collaborate with all ministries and institutions, federal and local governments, community organisations, and the private
sector, and the impact of these efforts will be evident in the next phase.

We are also eager to involve local authorities in every emirate, along with civil society organisations and creative and
artistic institutions, because we believe that this initiative belongs to everyone and must reach everyone. We open the
door to every institution to be part of the "My UAE Story" initiative - whether through support, participation or
promotion.

How does the "My UAE Story" initiative align with our wise leadership's vision for the Year of Community?

Our wise leadership, represented by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God protect
him, has placed great importance on the Year of Community as an opportunity to reinforce the human and social
values that form the foundation of the UAE's strength and unity. We view the Year of Community call for all of us to
play our part and take responsibility in achieving these aspirations.

From our perspective, the "My UAE Story" competition was conceived as a living embodiment of this vision and aligns
fully with its noble purpose. It aims to reach all members of society and highlight their experiences and contributions,
capturing shared moments of coexistence across all backgrounds.

https://en.aletihad.ae/news/uae/4578493/nahyan-bin-mubarak--we-learnt-from-zayed-that--identity--and 4/7