Sheikh Mohammed Honours Al Gergawi and Marwan bin Ghalita at Dubai Leadership Forum

Sheikh Mohammed’s remarks on Al Gergawi

Sheikh Mohammed expressed his appreciation on X, saying, “I was pleased to award the Mohammed bin Rashid Sash to one of our dedicated national executive leaders, my brother Mohammed Al Gergawi, who has accompanied me with perseverance, loyalty and dedication throughout three decades of my journey in serving the nation.” He added, “Few people can truly be called companions on a journey, and Mohammed Al Gergawi is one of them.”

The Dubai Ruler praised Al Gergawi for his integrity, loyalty to the country and its leadership, and commitment to serving its people, stating that the recognition was well deserved and that he expected further contributions from him in the years ahead.

Recognition for Marwan bin Ghalita

Sheikh Mohammed presented the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Leadership to Marwan bin Ghalita, noting that the award goes to the best director‑general who empowers second‑ and third‑tier leaders. He said, “The best director‑general does not make the institution revolve around himself but builds a team capable of carrying on after him. Congratulations to Marwan.”

Al Gergawi’s reflections on Sheikh Mohammed’s legacy

In his opening address at the forum, Al Gergawi said Sheikh Mohammed had done more than turn Dubai into a global city; he had restored confidence in the region’s ability to compete with the world.

He added that the greatest tribute to a leader who devoted his life to work is not words of appreciation but a commitment to continue what he had started, telling the gathering, “The best message we can offer Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid is not what we say today, but what we do.”

Al Gergawi argued that Sheikh Mohammed’s six decades of leadership cannot be gauged by airports, towers or individual projects alone; his most enduring achievement lies in building a society, a culture and a generation that believes it can succeed on the world stage. He quoted Sheikh Mohammed as teaching people how to dream, then giving them the confidence to achieve those dreams, and instructing them to think globally, noting that ambition is not limited by resources or geography, that people are the foundation, the mind is the resource and work is the method.

The minister recalled how Dubai has developed a diversified economy covering trade, aviation, tourism, finance, technology and space, even while much of the region was still seen through the prism of conflict and oil wealth.

He observed that Sheikh Mohammed created a city that draws people, companies and talent from around the world, reversing the long‑standing tendency of young Arabs to look westward for opportunities.

Al Gergawi lauded the Ruler’s approach to government, highlighting his constant presence in the field, his attention to detail and his insistence that public services be judged by those who use them. He recalled the Ruler’s repeated question, “Are people satisfied?” and his habit of challenging officials who deemed goals impossible by asking, “Why not?”

This mindset, Al Gergawi said, has reshaped government departments, encouraging swifter decisions, greater accountability and a culture where public service is viewed as a responsibility rather than a privilege, and has spread to businesses, entrepreneurs and young people, reinforcing Dubai’s reputation for speed, ambition and execution.

Drawing on more than three decades of working alongside Sheikh Mohammed, Al Gergawi recalled witnessing some of the Ruler’s most difficult decisions, his courage when others hesitated and his determination to act while others waited.

He also pointed to personal moments that have stayed with him, such as the Ruler’s follow‑up on medical treatment for a child whose family could not afford it, his listening to people in need and his enquiries about vulnerable communities in Africa.

One memory stood out: while signing copies of his books for several leaders, Sheikh Mohammed took an extra copy and wrote a special dedication to Al Gergawi’s late mother, knowing how much she meant to him.

Al Gergawi said such gestures reveal a side of Sheikh Mohammed that goes beyond official duties, describing him as “a decisive leader, an inspiring teacher and a generous human being.”

He referred to Sheikh Mohammed’s latest book, The Letters, the second part of Lessons from Life, which draws on six decades of leadership and includes messages to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, his brothers, the UAE people and others entrusted with serving the nation.

Al Gergawi emphasised that the book captures the Ruler’s belief that a leader’s responsibility is not merely to build things for people but to develop the people themselves.

Concluding his address, Al Gergawi expressed gratitude and a pledge to preserve what Sheikh Mohammed has built, saying, “You wrote to us some of what life taught you, and today we tell you some of what you taught us. Thank you for believing in us, raising our ambitions and enabling us to achieve what we once thought impossible.”

He added, “You built us a city we are proud of, a society where we feel secure about our children’s future, and a model that has inspired the world.”

Finally, he affirmed that Sheikh Mohammed’s team will continue safeguarding those achievements and driving Dubai’s development forward, declaring, “We will remain, as he always wanted us to be, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s team.”