Sheikh Mohammed visits the Luxembourg Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai.

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday met His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, who is currently visiting the UAE to attend his country’s National Day celebrations at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg explored new avenues to enhance bilateral relations and discussed potential partnerships to advance the mutual interests of the two countries The meeting, which took place at the Luxembourg pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, was also attended by Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum; and Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Commissioner-General of Expo 2020 Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed also toured the Luxembourg pavilion located within the Opportunity District. Under the theme of ‘Resourceful Luxembourg’, the country’s pavilion highlights its diversity, connectivity, enterprising spirit, commitment to sustainability and natural beauty.

Sheikh Mohammed also met with Alar Karis, President of the Republic of Estonia, at his country’s pavilion. During the meeting, His Highness and the Estonian President discussed ways to boost bilateral cooperation especially in digital governance and digital economy. They also explored greater collaboration between the two countries in future industries, e-services and other advanced sectors.

Sheikh Mohammed also toured the Estonian pavilion. Located in the Mobility District, the Estonian pavilion showcases the nation’s e-services and e-governance. The pavilion presents the e-solutions the country has embraced and showcases it as a lab where new ideas can be tested and start-ups can be launched.

Mother’s Day:  Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, said, “Mother’s Day in the UAE has become a renowned occasion, to celebrate and honour the Mother of the Nation.

Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), as an inexhaustible source of good, whether in the service of social development efforts in general or in the interest of deepening the role of women in society and the world.”

“The efforts and achievements of Her Highness continue in the service of society and the human being, and never stop, whether in education, health, maternal and childcare, the charity works, or in the development of good relations between the followers of civilisations and cultures, or in everything that would advance the community, the homeland and the world in all fields,” said Sheikh Nahyan in his keynote speech at the opening of the international conference “Mothers as Champions of Human Fraternity”, organised at Expo 2020 Dubai under the kind patronage of Sheikha Fatima, on the occasion of the UAE and the Arab world celebration of Mother’s Day.

The event was convened in cooperation with the GWU, Family Development Councils, and the Higher Committee on Human Fraternity.

The sessions of the conference addressed several main topics, namely the status of motherhood in a changing world, the pivotal role of the mother in forming a cohesive family, and the efforts and achievements of Sheikha Fatima in these areas.

Speakers included Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development; Razan Al Mubarak, the Managing Director of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi; Ambassador Mary Moby, the Commissioner-General of Zimbabwe at Expo 2020 Dubai; Randa Bessiso, the Founding Director of the Middle East Centre; Leena Khalil, the Co-founder of Mumzworld, and Dr. Khadra Salem, the Representative of Al-Azhar in the Egyptian Senate, in the presence of Afra Al Sabri, Director-General at the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence.

Sheikh Nahyan said, “We express our deep appreciation for what Her Highness represents for all of us as a role model and a good example of loyalty. We extend our utmost gratitude and respect to Her Highness for what she always affirms in word and deed of the importance of providing the necessary care for motherhood and childhood, and Her Highness stresses also that women in every place shall be fully capable of giving and achievement, as the woman shall learn at the highest level, and develop her energies and potential to the maximum to raise her sons and daughters and teach them to love their homeland and contribute fully to the progress of the society, and the mother shall be open with confidence and without sensitivity to all the achievements of development in the country and the world.

He stressed that the conference addresses through dialogue and discussion the status of motherhood in a changing world, the pivotal role of the mothers in the formation of a cohesive family, and the efforts and achievements of Her Highness in these areas, with which the UAE has become vivid proof of a very successful experience in affirming the role of the mother in the development of society and the human being. The conference also highlights the role of mothers as “Champions of Human Fraternity”.

He explained that the mother is the first teacher for the child, always striving to raise him on virtue, faith, commitment, and keenness on giving and achievement, confirming that the Abu Dhabi Declaration on Human Fraternity calls strongly for the protection of women’s rights, and for the safe and secure development of the child, indicating that we all have a duty and responsibility for a creative response to this call, and to do our part in empowering women everywhere to excel and outperform and to contribute effectively to the progress of society, and even to empower women to play their pivotal role in the upbringing of children and giving for them.