Abu Dhabi: Living in the UAE for 44 years makes him feel blessed and lucky to witness the wise leadership of the country, said Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Vice-Chairman of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and Advisor at Ministry of Presidential Affairs.
He said he came to Abu Dhabi as a refugee and got a chance to work closely with the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan who established the UAE Federation.
His life in Abu Dhabi started after Jerusalem, his home town, was occupied by Israeli forces in 1967 and war broke out.
The young Nusseibeh then had just finished his education in England but could not go back home because of the occupation.
His father, who knew Abu Dhabi and Shaikh Zayed, advised him to go to the city that was just starting major developments.
"Shaikh Zayed had just become the ruler and began to open up the country," Nusseibeh said. "I came to Abu Dhabi with an idea to open a business with other members of my family who also had fled the occupation."
In the 60s, Abu Dhabi was a small village with simple houses, no roads, and no power. Nusseibeh lived in a prefabricated room in one of the camps owned by one of his family members who had a company. They had a power generator for electricity. "When it rained the camps got flooded," he said.
His life changed when he met some editors from The Financial Times, in Abu Dhabi. He was asked to write for the paper. "As a journalist I got to know everybody in Abu Dhabi within three months," he said.
Later, a foreign broadcasting company wanted to interview Shaikh Zayed and since Nusseibeh spoke English and Arabic, they asked him to do the interview. After the interview Shaikh Zayed asked him to work for him.
Translation work
"Departments were beginning to be set up in Abu Dhabi. The first thing I did was to translate documents for the Civil Service Department. I also started translating for Shaikh Zayed when he meet foreign dignitaries," Nusseibeh said.
When the department of information was set up to look after journalists, Nusseibeh worked with them also. He started accompanying Shaikh Zayed on his foreign trips. "Shaikh Zayed was truly a remarkable person. He immediately left an impression on anybody he met. He had so much enthusiasm, so much compassion, zeal and whoever met him was impressed by his vision" he said.
"I remember the foreign journalists who came here, they were sceptical about this country and its survival. They said there were so many dangers around it. Today, it is one of the countries that plays a leading role regionally and in the Arab world."
Nusseibeh said Shaikh Zayed was deeply religious. "At that time nobody thought that the idea of a federation Shaikh Zayed was talking about, was possible," he said.
"The Federation is a remarkable story", Nusseibeh said. "Shaikh Zayed succeeded in bringing the seven emirates with their ruling families together."
Events
Heritage exhibition
The Abu Dhabi Medical rehabilitation Centre which is part of the Shaikh Khalifa Medical City held a heritage celebration yesterday, marking the national day celebrations. Popular dancing and distribution of presents and UAE flags took place as well as a heritage exhibition, which showed photographs of old and modern UAE.
Services
The Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department has put together a team to work during the National Day holiday, on the directives of Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri.
The team starts its work on Saturday, until Monday, from 9am-2pm. This step comes in line with the department's keen desire to offer its services.
Fair
Humaid Al Qatami, Minister of Health opened on Friday at Wafi centre Al Ittihad soul fair held by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development in cooperation with Dubai Holding to mark the 36th National Day anniversary. "The show reflects the allegiance to this country and achievements since the inception of the UAE federation" he said, adding that the photography exhibition depicts developments experienced by the UAE.
Police patrols
Chief of the Tareef Police Department which is a part of the Abu Dhabi Police General Command, called for intensifying police patrols in the Western region on both external and internal roads, to offer different services for the community and road users.
Partnership
Dubai Holding is the organiser and sponsor of the coordinated festivities marking the 36th anniversary of the UAE National Day, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development and a number of government and private bodies. There will be several distinctive community events held over the two days all across the UAE.
- WAM
