Leaders with exceptional qualities have defined human history. They have possessed a strong will, profound insight and a deep-rooted belief in the inherent value of their mission. Imbued with these characteristics, they have guided mankind through the tumultuous events of history. More importantly, they have provided their people with the link in the ever-changing world between the secure and familiar past and the uncertain yet inescapable future. From time immemorial, and certainly in the annals of recorded history, such personalities have been few and far between. One might argue that they are even more of a rarity in the modern world.

By any objective standard, His Highness Shaikh Zayid Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, has to be considered one of those truly unique personalities. He is a widely respected leader and a pioneer of modernization, who has guided his desert land and people from the desperately harsh conditions of the not-so-distant past into an era of unprecedented progress and prosperity. Where, in the past, opposing tribal interests too often resulted in open warfare and endless hostilities, today there stands one cohesive nation-state existing in peace and harmony and providing a model for others to emulate. The founding of the United Arab Emirates in 1971 can thus be seen as the crowning achievement of Shaikh Zayid's life and career.

More remarkable still is that the rapid transition of the past 40 years, which has encompassed a wide spectrum of social change, has been achieved in almost complete harmony and without serious dislocation.