His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, was awarded with an honorary doctorate from the Autonomous University of Madrid in Spain on Thursday for his efforts towards uniting cultures through study.

During Sheikh Sultan’s acceptance speech the Sharjah Ruler spoke of his love of history and the university’s close ties with Sharjah.

“I have been reading and writing about history for a long time,” said Sheikh Sultan at the awarding. “I believe that this is running in my veins and I will not stop at all.

“I have read about many periods of Spain’s history and its people throughout the ages,” Sheikh Sultan added.

“As for the present and the future, Sharjah and Spain share diverse and established cultural, academic and human relations for several decades, and have had cooperation and joint work in the field of archeology and archaeological excavation, which began in 1996 with the Spanish archaeological excavation mission of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid embarking on exploration works in the central region of Sharjah, in cooperation with the Sharjah Archaeology Authority.

“Thankfully, the results of excavation works proved our previous belief in the archaeological significance of this region,” added Sheikh Sultan.

“The excavation done over the years yielded in rich discoveries of architectural remains and finds that allowed to form a vivid picture of a large settlement which was located in the excavation area and was established and flourished during the period of the Iron Age, in the first millennium BC.

“An important and unprecedented discovery was also made by the Spanish mission in 2002. It was an ancient underground system of irrigation canals that were operating in a sophisticated engineering style and were in use in the Iron Age. Researchers believe these channels are the oldest discovered so far.

“We will keep on supporting the cooperation between the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Sharjah’s Archeology Authority, universities and academies and we call on everyone to work hand in hand to advance knowledge, progress and development,” added the Sharjah Ruler.

Sheikh Sultan recited a poem he authored for the occasion:

High rank, Autónoma de Madrid ... called on us to honor, we welcomed with pleasure
It has real interest in Collages of Learning … It is a real learning and not fantasy
Not selfish whim or injustice ... or by using the power of money
You Sponsors of Learning! I will tell you story from history without distort
Goths has lived in your homeland ... for years without any agreement or blood relationship
Granada became playful girl dances on highlands
At that time, my people were invaders, and the playful girl fell in trap
She stayed at mansions over there, they kept bringing water for her to drink
She gained knowledge, science and Art, and became symbol in these fields
When your people wanted to adopt Islam, we accept happily
For pledges, promises and protection … easily gone with wind
You, who call to science, I came to you today ... Holding my deep perception with no doubts
If you are fair to me, it would be thankful … and my idea about you would not be deception