40 linking the present and the future to a glorious past. Culture as civilisation and heritage has obviously been given free rein in the UAE. This is simply because cultural identity - in its modern guise and in serving the interests of our people and our nation - takes root best in an environment that was once the centre of Islamic civilisation. This has had an impact on human civilisation, providing knowledge of sciences and other fields of intellectual endeavour such as philosophy, mathematics, geometry, and medicine, and leaving us with luminaries whose glorious legacy is still with us to this very day. A sophisticated infrastructure for cultural development has been established in Sharjah, including a network of specialised museums such as the Sharjah Archaeological Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Sharjah Museum of Science, the Sharjah Art Museum, the Islamic Museum and the Heritage Museum. In addition, we now have universities of the highest calibre that have adopted the latest and most up-to-date educational systems, and are equipped with the latest technologies, libraries and other means of acquiring knowledge necessary for a mature, well-developed mental outlook scientifically, intellectually and technologically. Developing the human being is the cornerstone of development. We are concerned with providing all sectors of society, particularly children and youth, with all necessary cultural and social services. This conviction builds on our appreciation of the fact that such an orientation is a solid basis upon which to build the future we desire, one that is both bright and prosper-
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