Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XIX

3 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Embarking on a lifetime of service to his people In 1946, at the age of 28, Sheikh Zayed was named Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi. The Sheikh was in charge of the administration of six villages and an adjacent part of the desert, all centred on the oasis ofAl Ain. By the late 1940s and early 1950s, Sheikh Zayed had set out a clear vision of what he wished to achieve for the people of Al Ain, and he knew that he wanted to be someone who led by example. The progress that the Sheikh made in Al Ain cannot be understated. Even though he had few government revenues to work with, Sheikh Zayed succeeded in bringing progress to Al Ain, improving the lives of its people and setting the foundation for future development. For example in 1959 he personally funded the Al Nahyan School, the first modern school in the emirate, and he worked to persuade relatives and friends to also contribute resources towards increased small-scale development in the region. Having spent so much time in the desert as a younger man, he knew the issues the locals faced, and he was able to find sophisticated solutions for the scarcity of water resources whilst restructuring water ownership rights to ensure a more equitable distribution among the people. In turn, this led to increased agricultural development and the re- establishment of the oasis as the predominant market centre. His city planning in Al Ain helped ensure that the city is one of the greenest inArabia, with a massive forestation programme that the Sheikh began by planting ornamental and decorative trees that to this day can be seen having grown to maturity. What’s more, the Sheikh built the first hospital in Al Ain, as well as the first network of paved roads and streets.And such was his interest in preserving the history and culture of his home that in 1969, he founded a museum in Al Ain to find and study archaeological artefacts from 4000 years of settlement in the desert. This unique and visionary approach – one of preserving and celebrating the past whilst making progress for the future – became the hallmark of everything Sheikh Zayed did over the rest of his illustrious career. The 1950s were also a historically critical time for the region at large, with the discovery of oil and outside political forces all beginning to shape the future. In 1952, there was a territorial skirmish for control of the Al Buraimi oasis, and through the gifts of his insight and wisdom, Sheikh Zayed realised that conflict amongst tribes would only serve to hold each of them back in the struggle to survive in the desert, unless everyone worked together to ensure a brighter future. As a leading figure who understood the nuances of tribal balances, Sheikh Zayed worked diligently to resolve emerging disputes and, as a result of his thoughtfulness and perception, he won the admiration and respect of all parties during the settlement negotiations. Soon after, the British initiated a reoccupation of Al Buraimi, which led to a period of stability following the turmoil. During this time, the Sheikh helped to develop the region and led the efforts to restore the falaj system, a network of water channels that kept the Al Buraimi region irrigated and fertile. Remarkably, the Al Nahyan family turned over their own private shares of the water supply to the public – just one of many examples of the integrity of the ruling family and their commitment to the greater good. In 1953, the Sheikh made his first visit to Europe, accompanying his brother to Paris for legal