Sheikh Mohammed meets the girl at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Mahmoud Muhsen, Staff Reporter

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said he was happy to meet little girl Tuqa Al Hammadi after a video clip spread showing her crying so hard for being unable to take a photo with Sheikh Mohammed during his tour of the Expo 2020 Dubai.

Sheikh Mohammed described his meeting with little girl Tuqa at Expo as his most wonderful encounter at Expo. He posted a photo on social media in which he was shown extending his arms and smiling while the little girl running towards him to hug him.

“It’s my most wonderful personal encounter at the Expo so far,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.

“Thank God, the dream has come true.” With these words, Tuqa expressed her joy at meeting Sheikh Mohammed at the Expo 2020 Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed wiped away the tears of the eight-year-old girl and lit up her innocent face with joy that delighted the hearts of everyone. It was a touching gesture that spread on social media to bring happiness to the little girl, who never expected that fate would gather her in Sheikh Mohammed’s arms.

Al Khaleej, parent publication Gulf Today, met Tuqa’s mother Aisha Al Hammadi, who said: “The story began when Tuqa’s sister visited Expo one day. While she was touring Expo corridors, she saw Sheikh Mohammed who was visiting a pavilion. She picked up her mobile and documented those moments with a video clip and as usual, she sent the clip through the family group on WhatsApp.

Sheikh Mohammed hugs the girl during their meeting at Expo 2020 Dubai.

When Tuqa saw the video clip, she collapsed in tears, as it was her dream to see Sheikh Mohammed.”

Tuqa’s elder sister documented her little sister’s crying with another video clip, which she included in Sheikh Mohammed’s visit clip and resent it to the family group on WhatsApp, Aisha added.

“The video clip spread widely on social media and within a few hours we were surprised by a call in which Tuqa was asked to prepare to meet Sheikh Mohammed at Expo.” She said.

“We had an overwhelming joy, first because of the attention that Sheikh Mohammed paid to my daughter Tuqa and second because she was about to fulfill a dream she has always had,” Aisha said.

“As soon as she knew she was about to meet Sheikh Mohammed, Tuqa cried again but with tears of joy and happiness. She kept preparing for the date impatiently until she met Sheikh Mohammed.

“No sooner she saw him at Expo, Tuqa ran towards him and hugged him, crying sometimes and smiling at other times,” She added.

“In fact, I could not find enough words to describe the happiness that filled the hearts of the entire family. I am also unable to thank and appreciate how Sheikh Mohammed reacted when he tried hard to find time to help my daughter’s dream come true despite his preoccupations and tight time,” she said.

Tuqa told Al Khaleej: “I always dreamt of seeing Sheikh Mohammed to shake hands with and talk to him. I was very sad because I could not see him during my sister’s visit to Expo. So, I asked my mother to take me to Expo to see Sheikh Mohammed. When we were told that my dream would come true, I was very happy.

“As I could not control myself when I saw him, I suddenly ran towards him to embrace him. ‘I love you’ I told him repeatedly and his reply was ‘I love you too.’ I never expected that, it was just a dream, which Sheikh Mohammed fulfilled it for me. He also gave me a pin, which he was putting on his clothes and said to me, “Take this pin as a memory from a father to his daughter.” I felt proud and happy to have a memory of Sheikh Mohammed.”