Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was born in Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi and served as governor of Al Ain for two decades, earning universal admiration for his fair tribal mediation and agricultural greening projects. Ascending as Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, he utilized the emirate's oil revenues for the welfare of his people.

In 1971, through tireless statesmanship and personal magnanimity, Sheikh Zayed united the disparate Trucial States into a single sovereign federation: the United Arab Emirates, serving as its President until his death. Known worldwide as the 'Father of the Nation', his generous international humanitarian philanthropy and environmental forestry transformed the desert nation into a global powerhouse.