Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has kicked-off 20 initiatives to mark the Year of Zayed. The move is in response to HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, declaring 2018 as the Year of Zayed, a national event for the UAE.
The initiatives feature three key drivers, the landmark achievements of Sheikh Zayed, commemorating Sheikh Zayed’s anniversary and boosting the national identity.
Speaking about the initiatives, HE Mattar Al Tayer, director-general, and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA said, “The Year of Zayed is a huge step towards introducing the next generations to the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in shaping and enriching our beloved nation. It offers us lessons and conclusions to continue building our growing nation under the leadership of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Our leaders are complemented by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and their brothers Their Highnesses Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates.”
The RTA’s initiatives include holding a temporary mobile exhibition within its premises to highlight the key events and achievements of Sheikh Zayed, while the authority plans to donate the auction proceeds of distinctive number plate ‘Z 1971’ to the RTA Foundation.
Other initiatives include improving the infrastructure of developing countries (in the form of engineering consultancies, maintenance works) in collaboration with the International Humanitarian City and broadening the scope of the Tamkeen initiative of RTA Foundation to include other emirates. The RTA will also upgrade the Meals-on-Wheels initiative to benefit from it in other events (Eids, Back to School), produce a special edition NOL Card and decorate customer service centres with portraits and statements of Sheikh Zayed. The authority also plans to revive school notebooks bearing Sheikh Zayed’s images and will distribute them to schools in support of education.
“The internal initiatives of the Year of Zayed include broadcasting key achievements and axioms of Sheikh Zayed to RTA employees through social media channels, launching internal monthly competitions for employees, and holding an internal exhibition within the RTA to showcase Sheikh Zayed achievements during National Day celebrations. They also include organising visits for employees to museums and historical areas to introduce them to the history of the UAE and dedicating a day for RTA leaders to practice hobbies and practices cherished by Sheikh Zayed such as agriculture and horse riding among others. Activities include dedicating monthly pages in RTA’s Al Masar magazine, publishing special publications about Sheikh Zayed for distribution with Salama Magazine to children and students, and distributing the logo of the Year of Zayed to RTA’s employees,” concluded Al Tayer.