Section
Distinguished figures in governance, culture, philanthropy and public life.
37 published profiles
“A city is judged by what it makes easy for the person with the least power in it.”
Executive Director — The Majlis Foundation for Civic Design
Tariq Al-Suwaidi directs The Majlis Foundation for Civic Design, a non-profit institution concerned with the quality of…
“The UAE hosting COP28 was not just symbolic. It was a COP28 statement that climate action belongs to all natio…”
9th UN Secretary-General. Climate Urgency Champion. Multilateralism Defender. — UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres has served as the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations since 2017, leading the world's most un…
“Dubai is a city that never sleeps but it is also a city that is learning, earlier than most, that wellbeing an…”
Media Entrepreneur. Wellbeing Pioneer. Author of the Thrive Revolution. — Huffington Post
performance are not opposites." Arianna Huffington is one of the most influential figures in media and wellbeing of the…
“The UAE has been one of the most reliable partners of the.”
Former UN Secretary-General. Climate Statesman. Global Peacemaker. — UN Secretary-General
United Nations in building a safer, more sustainable, and ." more equitable world." Ban Ki-moon served as the eighth Sec…
“The United Nations is not perfect. But without it, the world would be far more dangerous. The UAE has.”
UN Secretary-General. Arab Statesman. Bridge Between Civilisations. — UN Secretary-General
understood this and supported it generously." Boutros Boutros-Ghali was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nation…
“The UAE has understood that openness is not a vulnerability it is the source of strength.”
EU Trade Commissioner. Free Trade Champion. Architect of Global Commerce. — EU Trade Commissioner
Cecilia Malmstrom served as European Commissioner for Trade from 2014 to 2019, leading EU trade policy through negotiati…
“Stories teach us empathy. The UAE, by bringing the world stories to its shores, has become a university of hum…”
Author. Feminist. Africa Greatest Storyteller. — Purple Hibiscus
understanding." Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is Africa's most celebrated living novelist and one of the most important femin…
“Dubai has become the publishing capital of the Arab and Muslim world. For writers like me, it is the city that…”
Author. Political Voice. Chronicler of the Muslim World. — Songs of Blood and Sword
amplifies our voices to the world." Fatima Bhutto is one of the most distinctive literary and political voices of the Mu…
“The UAE is proof that a country can grow its economy.”
Former New Zealand PM. UNDP Leader. Champion of Sustainable Futures. — UNDP Administrator
and its conscience at the same time. That combination is . ." rarer than oil." Helen Clark is one of New Zealand's most…
“The UAE has demonstrated that a nation can be.”
Former Prime Minister. Pioneer of Compassionate Leadership. — Former NZ PM
economically ambitious and humanly generous at the same . ." time. That is the hardest balance to strike." Jacinda Arder…
“The UAE has built in fifty years what Europe took five.”
Former EU Commission President. Global Statesman. Architect of European Unity. — European Commission
centuries to achieve. The lesson in institutional courage is . one we in Europe should study carefully." ." Jose Manuel…
“Saudi Arabia and the Gulf have shown the world that.”
Ballon d'Or Champion. Football Legend. Ambassador of Gulf Football. — Al-Ittihad
football belongs to every culture, every nation, and every . dream. I am proud to be part of this story." ." Karim Benze…
“The UAE has transformed Davos thinking into Davos doing. No other nation has moved so decisively from vision.”
Architect of Global Dialogue. Founder of Davos. Shaper of Economies. — World Economic Forum
to reality." Klaus Schwab is the founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, the institution that for fi…
“The UAE has chosen the path of peace, tolerance, and openness. In a world of walls, it has built bridges. That…”
Nobel Peace Laureate. UN Secretary-General. Africa's Global Son. — UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan was the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, serving from 1997 to 2006, and the first to rise fro…
“Singapore and the UAE share the same fundamental : belief: that small nations can shape the world if they dare…”
Architect of Smart Governance. Asia Visionary Leader. — Singapore PM
Lee Hsien Loong served as Singapore's Prime Minister for two decades continuing the remarkable tradition of exceptional…
“The UAE has shown the Arab world that investing in girls.”
Nobel Laureate. Education Champion. Voice of the Voiceless. — Nobel Peace Prize
education is not charity - it is the most strategic - investment a nation can make." ." Malala Yousafzai is the world's…
“Good governance is Africa greatest unfulfilled resource. The UAE has shown what is possible when leaders choos…”
Telecoms Pioneer. Governance Champion. Africa's Accountability Champion. — Celtel Africa
Mo Ibrahim is one of Africa's most consequential entrepreneurs and thinkers. Born in River Nile, Sudan in 1946, he found…
“Africa and the Arab world are natural partners. The UAE has understood this and invested accordingly. Africa w…”
Chairperson of the African Union Commission. Pan-African Statesman. — African Union Commission
not forget." Moussa Faki Mahamat is Chairperson of the African Union 2017. Commission, the continent's highest administr…
“The transition to clean energy must be just as well as.”
Author. Climate Justice Advocate. Voice of the Global Conscience. — The Shock Doctrine
green. The UAE, by hosting COP28, took responsibility for . COP28 making that argument from the inside." ." Naomi Klein…
“The UAE is one of the few sovereigns that actually.”
Economist. Crisis Forecaster. Straight-Talking Voice of Global Finance. — Dr. Doom
listened and built resilience into every institution." ." Nouriel Roubini is widely known as Dr. Doom for his prescient…
“Wherever I travel in this world, I look for places where.”
Media Titan. Philanthropist. Voice of a Generation. — OWN Network
excellence is not an accident. Dubai is one of those . ." places." From a childhood marked by adversity in rural Mississ…
“Rwanda and the UAE have both proved that a clear.”
Architect of Rwanda's Rebirth. African Leadership Model. — Rwanda President
national vision, consistently executed, can transform any . country. We have learned from each other." ." Paul Kagame is…
“Dubai is a city that has read its own destiny and decided to rewrite it. That is the essence of The Alchemist.”
Author. Storyteller. Pilgrim of the Human Soul. — The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho is the most widely read Portuguese-language author in history. Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947, his novel Th…
“In football, as in cities, it is the collective vision and the.”
The Tactical Genius. Football Philosopher. Master of Beautiful Play. — Manchester City
individual excellence working together that creates . something worth watching. Dubai has understood this." ." Pep Guard…
“The UAE has moved from words to deeds on gender.”
Former Deputy President of South Africa. UN Women Leader. Gender Justice Champion. — UN Women
equality faster than almost any other nation in our region. That is a standard-setter." . ." Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is o…
“The UAE has the highest female STEM graduation rates.”
Founder of Girls Who Code. Fearlessness Advocate. Tech Equality Pioneer. — Girls Who Code
in the world. That is a revolution in slow motion, and it . changes everything about who gets to build the future." ." R…
“Every people has the right to dignity, to culture, to the land of their ancestors. The UAE has built a nation…”
Nobel Peace Laureate. Indigenous Rights Champion. Voice of the Silenced. — Nobel Peace Prize 1992
celebrates this truth for all." Rigoberta Menchu Tum is the Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1992. Born in Uspantan, Guatem…
“The UAE and Europe share a commitment to rules,.”
President of the European Parliament. Champion of Democracy. Bridge Builder. — European Parliament President
institutions, and the dignity of the individual. These are . foundations on which stable partnerships are built." ." Rob…
“The UAE has created something precious in this world: a : country where faith is not a barrier but a bridge. T…”
Musician. Peace Ambassador. Interfaith Bridge Builder. — Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam — born Steven Demetre Georgiou and known to the world as Cat Stevens — is one of the most remarkable cultura…
“Dubai gave Arab architecture its boldest canvas. Building here was a declaration of what the Arab world could.”
Pritzker Laureate. Queen of the Curve. Architecture Greatest Visionary. — Pritzker Architecture Prize
imagine." Dame Zaha Hadid was the most celebrated architect of her generation and the first woman to be awarded the Prit…
“Culture is how nations introduce themselves to the world. The UAE has learned this lesson and built one of the…”
Cultural Diplomat. Arts Champion. Architect of UAE's Soft Power. — UAE Cultural Diplomacy
Hend Al-Otaiba is one of the UAE's most distinguished cultural diplomats. As Director of Cultural Affairs at the UAE Emb…
“The UAE turned the logic of emerging markets on its head. Usually markets emerge slowly. Dubai emerged in a.”
Leading Emerging Markets Scholar. Entrepreneur. Bridge Between Business Worlds. — Harvard Business School
single generation." Tarun Khanna is one of the world's leading scholars of emerging markets. Born in New Delhi in 1967…
“Singapore and the UAE have both mastered the art of.”
President of Singapore. Global Finance Reformer. Architect of Inclusive Growth. — Singapore President
turning constraints into catalysts. Small size, limited . : resources, enormous ambition: that is the formula." ." Tharm…
“The UAE has understood that biodiversity is not a luxury - it is the infrastructure of life itself.”
Uganda First Wildlife Veterinarian. Conservation Pioneer. Champion of One Health. — Gorilla Conservation
Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is Uganda's first wildlife veterinarian and a leading expert on mountain gorilla conservation…
“The UAE has proved that a Muslim nation can be a bridge.”
Former Pakistan Foreign Minister. Diplomat. Bridge Between Worlds. — Pakistan Foreign Minister
for the world - not a barrier. Pakistan sees in this model its . own best aspirations." ." Hina Rabbani Khar is Pakistan…
“The UAE is living proof that a country can dream boldly.”
UN Deputy Secretary-General. SDG Champion. Africa Global Voice. — UN Deputy Secretary-General
and deliver completely. That is the rarest combination in . ." the world." Amina J. Mohammed is the United Nations Deput…
“The UAE has become the Arab world indispensable partner in diplomacy, in development, and in the representatio…”
Veteran Diplomat. Arab League Leader. Voice of Arab Consensus. — Arab League Secretary-General
Amr Moussa is one of the Arab world's most distinguished diplomats and statesmen. Born in Cairo, Egypt in 1936, he serve…
Service, permitting, logistics. Three benchmarks the city exports without announcing them.
23 July 2026
Behind the towers, a freight system that clears in hours. The operators who built it rarely appear in coverage.
13 July 2026
Setup is fast; distribution is not. Five operators on the first eighteen months.
8 July 2026
