Sheikh Sultan: 54 years of giving, contributions and significant achievements

For over five decades, the Emirate of Sharjah has been thriving thanks to the vision and leadership of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

Since assuming the rule of the Emirate of Sharjah on January 25, 1972, he has relentlessly pursued growth and advancement, delivering tangible benefits to the people of Sharjah.

His unprecedented gifts and visionary policies have elevated the quality of life in the Emirate, making it a beacon of progress and prosperity in the region.

His Highness's reign has been marked by numerous achievements, including the provision of additional support to enhance the social and economic stability of citizens' families, ensuring the well-being of the elderly, differently-abled individuals, and the bedridden. This has enabled beneficiaries to manage their living affairs efficiently and independently.

Sharjah was undoubtedly illuminated by the birth of His Highness on Sunday, July 2, 1939, to his father, Mohammad Bin Saqr Bin Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Saqr Bin Rashid Al Qasimi, and his mother, Sheikha Maryam Bint Sheikh Ghanem Bin Sheikh Salem Al Shamsi. From them, he gained a love of his homeland and a deep sense of belonging, as well as a passion for its history. He also devoted himself to acquiring knowledge and reading widely in various scientific fields.

Driven by nationalism

The principles on which His Highness was raised placed considerable emphasis on nationalism. He engaged in rigorous academic study of the Quran under the tutelage of Sheikh Faris Bin Abdulrahman, and in September 1948, at the age of nine years and two months, he commenced his general education at Al Islah Al Qasimiya School. In 1954, he enrolled at the English Private School to study English, subsequently moving between Sharjah and Kuwait to complete his preparatory and secondary education.

At the end of 1965, he travelled to Egypt to enrol at the Faculty of Agriculture at Cairo University. He obtained his bachelor's degree in 1971. Not content with this, he went on to obtain a PhD in History from the University of Exeter in 1985 and a second PhD in the Political Geography of the Gulf from Durham University in 1999.

From February 1961 to September 1963, His Highness worked as an English and mathematics teacher at the Industrial School in Sharjah.

In 1965, he took over the leadership of the municipality. After completing his university studies in Cairo in 1971, he returned to Sharjah to take over the management of the Ruler's Office.

A few days after the formation of the United Arab Emirates on December 2, 1971, the Cabinet was formed on December 9, and he was appointed Minister of Education. Then, on January 25, 1972, at the age of 32, he assumed power in the Emirate of Sharjah, becoming a member of the UAE's Supreme Council and the eighteenth Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah from the Al Qasimi family, whose rule dates back to 1600 AD.

Sharjah Council for Family and Society

In light of the local initiatives launched by His Highness and the latest developments in this regard, we present the Emiri Decree on the establishment and organisation of the Sharjah Council for Family and Society. This decree stipulates the establishment of a council dedicated to family and societal issues in the emirate. The council is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi and assisted by the executive office in overseeing its operations. The Chair shall have all the necessary powers to manage the council, including adopting its general policy, policies, regulations and financial resources.

The Council aimed to care for, develop and empower families and society, pay attention to women and children, and promote national identity in all areas by preparing public policies and strategic plans related to family affairs, women, children, young people, culture, crafts, hospitality, the media and community initiatives. As well as working with other organisations and community groups to make sure they work well together, supporting and funding local, regional and global humanitarian, developmental and community projects to protect the rights of children and vulnerable families, improve their lives, and spread awareness of the importance of keeping children safe and protected, and making sure they have a good social and educational life, and doing other things.

Among the great projects is the plan of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah to give Dhs2.5 million to Sharjah libraries so they can get the latest books, and projects that aim to make sure everyone has enough to eat, like the Bardi Project and the project to make organic honey. New buildings were also opened at the Sharjah Humanitarian Services, and people living in Sharjah were invited to take part in the 2025 census.

In continuation of His Highness's approach to supporting culture and knowledge, Dhs2.5 million have been allocated to purchase the latest publications from publishing houses to supply Sharjah’s public and government libraries with the latest publications.

Bardi project

The Bardi project supported food security by expanding to produce chemical-free products and organic honey from the emirate's nature reserves. The City Water project addressed the water problem by creating a large lake to store excess water during the winter.

His Highness also inaugurated the new buildings at the Sharjah Humanitarian Services, which support people with disabilities and include specialised classrooms and treatment facilities.

His Highness also inaugurated the Al Dhaid University building, which covers an area of 412,000 square metres and can accommodate 2,000 male and female students. His Highness has also supported initiatives based on artificial intelligence, such as the “Gheras Digital” project, as well as many other noble initiatives.

Among His Highness's foreign initiatives is the two-million-dollar initiative to support the research and development of the 'Magdi Yacoub Valve', stemming from His Highness's firm belief that investment in science and scientific research is the basis of progress and advancement for nations. This initiative embodies His Highness's wise vision to establish Sharjah as a global hub for knowledge and innovation.

The Center for Arabic Studies was established at the University of Coimbra in Portugal to document the history of Arabic teaching at this prestigious academic institution for the first time, and to facilitate dialogue with Arab literature, art, and creativity.

His Highness also presented the 'Barbosa' manuscript to the Joanina Library. This is the complete version that His Highness relied on when researching and translating his book "A Journey of Great Importance".

The event was described as a strategic step that enhances cultural dialogue between Arab and Portuguese civilisations.

Under his guidance, a high-level cultural initiative was launched. This involved allocating generous financial support for the rehabilitation of the Grand Beirut Theatre and joining the international campaign led by UNESCO to restore this cultural landmark in the Lebanese capital. The initiative also included the 'Hope for the Future' project, which supports Arab students affected by wars, armed conflicts and natural disasters.

Quran memorisation schools

Similarly, under his guidance, several Quran memorisation schools were established in Ghana and Senegal. This was due to his commitment to disseminating knowledge, Islamic sciences and human values with a moderate and balanced perspective. It was also a contribution from His Highness to the dissemination of the teachings and sciences of the Holy Quran in African countries.

'Soft Power Care Home'

In addition to the generous gesture of constructing the 'Soft Power Care Home' building to house elderly members of the Egyptian Actors Syndicate in October 6 City, Egypt, His Highness also ordered a financial deposit to be allocated to managing the home's financial and administrative affairs, covering all operational expenses including workers' wages and residents' treatment.

His Highness donated $1 million to the Malaysian Al Karama Foundation for Children in recognition of its work caring for families in the Sentul region of Malaysia and its humanitarian programmes for children around the world. He also donated to the Egyptian Society for Historical Studies in Egypt, establishing a library and information centre at Cairo University's Faculty of Agriculture, and funding the construction of a village for orphans in Burkina Faso.

Foreign initiatives

His Highness's foreign initiatives include supporting the Encyclopaedia of Arab and Muslim Scholars and Writers, establishing an Islamic centre in the Republic of Estonia, constructing a research laboratory complex at Cairo University's Faculty of Agriculture, providing Cairo University with thirty million Egyptian pounds of funding, establishing the headquarters of the Association of Arab Universities in Amman, launching an initiative to restore the Egyptian Scientific Complex, supporting Egyptian cultural centres, restoring the Faculty of Engineering building at Cairo University and donating two million dollars to a fund for the families of Egyptian martyrs.

This includes supporting the Egyptian Academy with rare books, manuscripts and volumes, developing slum areas in Giza, supporting sports activities in Egypt, establishing the Egyptian National Archives, constructing the new building for the Union of Arab Archaeologists in Egypt; establishing the Union of Arab Language and Scientific Academies, constructing the Union of Arab Historians building in Cairo, hosting the Arab Children’s Parliament headquarters in Sharjah, and much more.