Achievements, nation building, and human advancement are not only measurable in terms of time but in terms of men controlling the time.

History should, therefore, not be regarded as a number of years, decades and centuries but also as a heritage bequeathed by noble and wise rulers to peoples and civilizations.

49 years ago, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, assumed the leadership of Sharjah during which time his moral compass only pointed to what his heart and mind dictated and that is to make the emirate of Sharjah larger than its own geography with glory spanning past, present and future.

49 years that recount the story of a special time and place, the history of a rule based on culture, morality, heroism and chivalry and a ruler, who is first and foremost a man, then a father and a leader who is fully aware of his responsibilities and what they entail in terms of national, moral and daily duties.

49 years that constitute as many gems as possible in a golden necklace adorning Sharjah, the sun emirate whose name is even more eloquent than the metaphor; an eloquence penned by Sultan and derived from that special place, kind people and unique history all combined in a humane civilized mold. 

49 years in a man’s life is a period that bridges youth and maturity and is conducive to completeness, but it has a far greater symbolic significance for Sharjah, the emirate of the civilized enlightened man, the successful economy and the extensive development that is based primarily upon investment in minds rather than money and thinking rather than theory.

49 years have seen Sharjah transformed into the emirate of culture and intellectuals, the emirate of the three capitals, namely the capital of Arab culture, the capital of Islamic culture and the international book capital.

49 years of Sultan’s rule that witnessed achievements that wouldn’t have been feasible in a hundred years and that is no exaggeration or an empty metaphor, for during that period Sultan made the citizen his primary concern and meeting citizens’ needs his topmost priority. During those 49 years, which is but a fleeting moment in the life of a nation, barriers between ruler and ruled were torn down, obstructive bureaucracy dismantled, and protocols dispensed with so that the ruler shakes people’s hands, listens to their complaints, looks right into their eyes and reassures them as only a kind father, a compassionate brother or a responsible ruler would.

49 years during which Sultan made it his business to help those indebted or insolvent of his people, citizens and subjects, ensure safety and security, remove barriers between ruler and ruled, launch extensive infrastructure projects, build roads in the middle of the desert and the most extensive mosque network in the villages, deserts and cities. Now everyone who lives or knows Sharjah have indelibly printed in their memory, such historical phrases as “Smile! You are in Sharjah”,” Read! You are in Sharjah” and “The whole world reads from Sharjah”.

 49 years of hard work, planning, guidance and plan implementation to emphasize the essence of Sharjah and bring to the fore its leading, humane, developmental, security, economic and cultural roles through well-disciplined work at the hands of patriotic, cultured, committed, well-trained and widely experienced Emirati cadres proud of their homeland.

Indeed, lucky is he who lives in the house of Sultan among his people and subjects.

Lucky is he who lives in the capital of beauty, culture, letters, and arts.

Lucky is he who lives in a city that works hard to preserve its heritage, monuments, pop culture and keep alive its spirit complemented by its ruler and conscience, prince Sultan, Sharjah’s beating heart.