Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, at the World Economic Forum Summit on the Global Agenda 2008 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has opened his own page on social networking site Facebook.
“I was brought up in a family that believed in the importance of visionary public service and phil-anthropy and I have tried to live these values in my everyday life,” Shaikh Mohammad posted in his ‘About Me’ section on www.facebook.com/sheikhmohammed
As a new Facebook user, Shaikh Mohammad also updated his status, asking: “I visited the Ministry of Education today and would like to raise this question: Should the new academic year start during Ramadan or after the Eid holiday?”
As a user-generated content site, Facebook users are able to comment on his status updates and make virtual friends with him on his unrestricted profile, which allows the general public to view his photo albums, videos, personal information and ‘poke’ Shaikh Mohammad (to get his virtual attention).
“One’s experiences and personal history shape who they are, and by sharing the lessons I have learned during my lifetime I hope I can continue to have a positive effect on others, especially young people,” Shaikh Mohammad continued.
The page holds two photo albums – one showing personal pictures of the younger members of his family entitled ‘My Family’ and one named ‘Everyday encounters’, showing pictures of Shaikh Mohammad on daily visits around the UAE.
“Contemporary challenges prompt us to think in innovative ways to achieve sustainable development,” Shaikh Mohammad wrote, while quoting his ‘Favourite Books’ as The Story of My Experiments With Truth by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
Shaikh Mohammad also expressed his love of Nabati poetry in the ‘Activities’ section on his profile.
“I am passionate about sports, particularly endurance racing. I enjoy and love horse riding with my family members. I enjoy the outdoors, especially the Arabian desert experience,” Shaikh Mohammad said on his profile.
“I relish visiting cultural institutions throughout the Emirates, the Middle East, and during my other international travels. I often go to cultural gatherings. Writing Nabati (traditional Arabic poetry) has been a life-long passion,” Shaikh Mohammad said.
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