A Future of Happiness, Tolerance, and Youth

Feb 27, 2016 Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

The UAE has now established a Ministry of Happiness, Tolerance, and the Future, and appointed a 22-year-old Minister of Youth. This redefinition of government's role reflects several crucial lessons learned from developments in the region in recent years.

DUBAI – Over the past two weeks, I have heard and read many questions, comments, and news stories regarding recent changes to the government of the United Arab Emirates. Why, everyone seems to want to know, did we establish a Ministry of Happiness, Tolerance, and the Future, and why did we appoint a 22-year-old Minister of Youth?

The changes reflect what we have learned from events in our region over the past five years. In particular, we have learned that failure to respond effectively to the aspirations of young people, who represent more than half of the population in Arab countries, is like swimming against the tide. Without the energy and optimism of youth, societies cannot develop and grow; indeed, they are doomed.

When governments spurn their youth and block their path to a better life, they slam the door in the face of the entire society. We do not forget that the genesis of the tension in our region, the events dubbed the “Arab Spring,” was squarely rooted in the lack of opportunities for young people to achieve their dreams and ambitions.

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0 Comments on this paragraph, 16 in all 16 Comments on this article

Lenka Vestenicka Apr 2, 2016

It's needed to show children that they are as good as we are, because when all we show them is arrogance and despistus, then all they will be looking for in their life would be situations in which they can despise, grab and hate. You think that people who act as arrogant old pigs now were born like that? They were tought by adults to do that. I think that this is one of the best things to change the way of the world, though, it's not so easy because it depends on people and things that depend on people turn to failure in the name of lying, power and money.
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Talal Serhan Mar 7, 2016

In the past, the ability of governments to control the economy, the environment, and people; their ambitions, aspirations, business, success and happiness was much less compared to the present. Nowadays, modern advanced surveillance techniques gave governments the ability to watch and follow people, even, into their own beds.

This tool was terribly misused by many governments, not to, truly, protect the society, but to suppress it. Such surveillance kills ambitions and lead to some sort of slavery, (O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not “spy” or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful) — The Holy Quran.

So, I agree that the role of a government must not be creating an environment that it can control, but is to “restore the” environment in which people can achieve their dreams and ambitions.

Regarding ‘tolerance’, we may ask: If a government can not tolerate its own people, how can people tolerate each other?
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Dr Shazia Sajjad Mar 7, 2016

Dear Mohammed Bin Rashid
United -Arab Emirates ,has been growing rapidly .However your vision is admirable for a post-oil economy .
Hopefully Ministry of Happiness, Tolerance and the Future will produce positive effects on advancement and development of the country's economy with objective of ultimate happiness.
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Leo Arouet Mar 4, 2016

Empoderar a las personas para que logren sus aspiraciones es sumamente adecuado y bueno. A este caso, se debe fomentar la diversidad cultural y la tolerancia religiosa, pues las mentes cerradas, debido a las ideologías, son las que causan mayor daño. Para fomentar esta tolerancia se necesita reformar las leyes para que protejan a aquellas personas que no son religiosamente homogéneas. En fin, se requiere un Estado laico que NO gobierne y legisle sólo para una secta, minoría o mayoría, religiosa sino para todas aquellas personas nacionales o extranjeras que son ideal y religiosamente diversas.
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Elizabeth Pula Feb 29, 2016

No empty promise??? Your people's happiness is paramount at whose cost? Check this video out that was on the BBC website. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35687257
It looks to me that the real message is worse than any suggestion of any empty promise. Europe is being invaded. Yes you seek to create a society where your people's happiness is paramount, with the rest of the world being damned.
- M M Feb 29, 2016
  
  The fact that he has written (or signed off) this article is good enough. Other world leaders, including and especially some western ones, do not know how to speak English let alone writing it. He is a person that managed to achieve a lot during his life time and his achievements are there and shall remain there for generations to come whilst other world leaders have achieved nothing but destruction, hunger and pain. He is a person that managed successfully to keep the right equilibrium between heritage and progress, between culture and faith, between growth and slump, between ecological and industrial matters, the proof is there for everyone to see, it is not an illusion like the one that we in the west are living. One must give credit where credit is due.
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- Steve Hurst Feb 29, 2016
  
  I think you have got this one wrong
  The Sheikh is an unusual guy. To give you just one example he recruited a policeman who in his spare time rescued injured horses to be his trainer because of the animal care he gave. Saeed bin Suroor has developed into a top flight international trainer
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John Brian Shannon Feb 29, 2016

Hi Mohammed bin Rashid,

I've been watching the progress of the UAE for some time now and it continues to excel.

This latest focus on Happiness, Tolerance and the Future, builds on the existing accomplishments -- not only of the government, but by the citizens and other residents of the UAE, and by corporations and NGO's.

I note that the UAE ranks in the Top 40 in the Social Progress Index (39) and in the Top 20 in the UN Happiness Index (20) which is quite remarkable for a young country that is still building its institutions, with a youngish population, and has many foreigners living in its cities.

And yet, with these new initiatives I expect higher rankings will occur in future years along with higher productivity, higher per capita income, and other important markers of successful governance.

Setting a high standard for the world's 1.5 billion Muslims is an admirable goal, yet the example of the UAE is becoming apparent even to Developed Nations.

Norway offers perhaps the best example yet of combining a generous social contract combined with a robust economic platform, and it consistently ranks highly in the Social Progress Index (#1 in 2015) and in the Top 5 in the UN Happiness Index (#4 in 2015) metrics.

http://johnbrianshannon.com/2015/12/15/secret-of-norways-success/

It would be an astonishing success story to see the UAE attaining similar levels of success within a decade.

As always, very best regards, JBS
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Abbas Jaffery Feb 29, 2016

Great vision ... leaders who undrrstand chaging times and cease the moment lives for ever... I hope this visio gets translated into reality... nonetheless great vison and vey effort
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Jalal Khawaldh Feb 29, 2016

مع أن مقالتكم تشرح بوضوح أن تعيين وزراء للسعادة ووزراء للشباب والمستقبل ليست من باب الفخر وإثارة الإعجاب، ولكن حقا هي مسألة تثير الإعجاب وليس التعجب، وتبدو الصورة الآن أكثر دقة، بعد هذه المقالة، ولكن كيف يمكننا نشر هذا المفهوم في المنطقة برقة وهدوء وندعو الناس حولنا لتقبله والمضي معه أو مجاراته، وكيف يمكن تحويل العقول والقلوب من منصات الحقد والغيرة والحسد إلى منصات القبول والتقبل والمشاركة، وكيف يمكن شرح المستقبل لهؤلاء ومناقشتهم في كل سيناريوهات المستقبل المحتملة التي تقسم جميعا على عدد واحد وهو الإنسان الفرد وأهميته وسعادته وتعلمه وتدريبه ومهارته ؟؟
أعتقد أن شرحكم لفكرة التسامح وتاريخها وتأكيدكم عليها قد تؤتي ثمارا طيبة وقد يكون تكريسها أيضا بوابة لإستقطاب الناس، بالطبع نجاح فكرة وزراء السعادة والمستقبل هي أيضا دعوة صريحة لذلك، وأظن أن وزارات السعادة والمستقبل تحتاج إلى تعيين سفراء للسعادة، من خلال مسابقة لأبناء الإمارات الذين يحققون في مشاريعهم وأعمالهم جانبا مضيئا من السعادة لمواطني الدولة ومن ثم يتم تعيينهم ليسافروا إلى دول المنطقة والعالم ويحملون التجربة المتألقة والرسائل المفعمة بالحب والتسامح والسعادة وينشرونها في كل مكان.
خلفك مباشرة، سمو الشيخ، ثمة عدد كبير من المثقفين والمفكرين، غير المجاملين، الذين يؤمنون إيمانا عميقا بفكرك وعقلك الراجج والحكيم وبخطواتك الكبيرة التي تأخذ الناس برقة وشفافية إلى طريق المستقبل بسعادة لا نظير لها..
بالتوفيق إن شاء الله.
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Zsolt Hermann Feb 29, 2016

The ideas, recognizing the absolute need for happiness, tolerance, developing the youth the right way are obviously commendable.
But such cannot be imposed onto society from above by appointed ministers or legislation.

True happiness, tolerance are actually against our inherently self-serving, and self-justifying nature. True happiness is a collective feeling coming from selfless, mutually complementing cooperation, from the feeling of confidence, balance, "homeostasis" within a human society that is based on such mutual responsibility.

Changing our selfish, ruthlessly competitive nature, our previous operating software priming us to succeed at the expense of others can only happen through a brand new education program and by completely changing the values our societies are built upon.
Only a unique, practical method can provide the necessary positive motivation, immediate positive emotional impressions sustaining such positive motivation and giving people confidence in the method and in each other.

Only by changing society through such method in a mutual, circular manner slowly increasing those circles, merging them together, rebuilding our societies from the grassroots can succeed in the long term.
And only such a new, mutually complementing society, aspiring for humane, collective goals can provide the youth with future prospects, true purposes.
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j. von Hettlingen Feb 29, 2016

HRH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai seeks to portray himself as a enlightened ruler in a world known for autocratic rule and suppression of dissent. The creation of two ministries to promote happiness and tolerance certainly attracts envy in the Arab world, which can buy anything with its oil money. A 22-year-old has been appointed as "minister of youth," to promote happiness among young people. Little is said about the "Minister of State for Tolerance," and how the two will pursue their mandates - to provide for social good and satisfaction.
Sheikh Mohammed points out that youth bulge in the Arab world and its grievances gave rise to the Arab Spring, toppling long-time dictators in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Having learned the lession, he has created a "minister of youth," who will be responsible for instilling hope and promoting happiness among young people, who "represent more than half of the population in Arab countries." The government policy will be to "respond effectively to the aspirations of young people" by creating "opportunities" and helping them "achieve their dreams and ambitions," so the sheikhdom can rely on them for "growth and development." He seeks to diversify the economy, in order to wean his people off their "dependence on the ever-fluctuating oil market" and prepare them for a life "in a post-oil economy."
The war in Syria and the refugee crisis had dawned on the sheikh that "sectarian, ideological, cultural, and religious bigotry only fuel the fires of rage." He underscores the importance of educating children to tolerate and accept people other than their own, and urges his citizens to "study, teach, and practice tolerance," setting an example to its neighbours. He reminds us of the Islamic Golden Age, when Muslims "provided beacons of science, knowledge, and civilization," saying "humane values were the basis of our relationships with all civilizations, cultures, and religions." He also points out that Muslims ruled Spain between 711-1492, and when his "ancestors left Andalusia, people of other faiths went with them."
But many are not convinced that the Sheikh could deliver. Nicholas McGeehan, a researcher at Human Rights Watch said: “The Ministry of Happiness sounds sort of Orwellian and sinister given that this is a surveillance state, but it is in line with their quite high self-regard.” Young people in the United Arab Emirates are among the most privileged in the world. Pampered from cradle to grave, they trust their government to look after them, and seem untroubled by human rights abuses against dissidents. This is the social contract between the ruler and its citizens. Not everyone - the rich, bored and work-shy - leads a meaningful life. But as they keep quiet, they are seen as happy. The government is ruled by unelected royals. Those who criticize them or engage in political activity risk arrest, prosecution and imprisonment. The country relies heavily on regional and international skilled professionals, who have sought to pursue their fortunes, and their happiness in the emirates. With a population of 9.3 million, only about a sixth are Emirati citizens, and the majority of the foreigners are low-paid Asian workers. It remains unclear how eager the state is to increase their happiness.
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NIKOS CHRISANTHOPOULOS Feb 28, 2016

It seems like an optimistic message for establishing world peace and welfare.I admire Sh.Mohammed for being an open minded liberal leader and his values influence his state.Keeping Islam for your soul and acting pollitically as an liberal enligthened Arab could transform Emirates into a lighthouse in the region promoting world peace and development.
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Michael Public Feb 28, 2016

I am a cynical guy but the little bit of idealist left in me believes you are genuine. If you are, UAE will undoubtedly go on to be the jewel of the region.
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Steve Hurst Feb 28, 2016

Excellent and part of a very long standing development and commitment with the unusual atribute of immediacy
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M M Feb 27, 2016

Sh. Mohammed, Your achievements since you assumed your responsibilities speak for themselves. When I first heard about your plan for looking to appoint a youth as a minister, I said to myself, I shall wait for Sh. Mohammed to write about it on PS before I comment on it and here it is. The idea (concept) is brilliant, although would have been probably better appreciated had the selected youth been locally educated and groomed. Nevertheless, the youth is local and that is what matters. Your changes should be commended and be an example across the globe but the main change and hopefully great achievement is not mentioned in the article and it is the downsizing of the Dubai government. “Big Government” is always a hinder if not an obstacle to growth, advancement and motivation. By downsizing the government, and hopefully with it, any unnecessary bureaucracy, your country will prosper for generations to come, with or without natural resources. It is important to encourage entrepreneurial ship and self-motivation rather than unnecessary “red tapes”. The very best to you in your future endeavors.
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