In a gesture embodying the United Arab Emirates' approach to celebrating academic excellence and cultivating national talent, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, presented the top secondary school graduates with gifts comprising a financial reward of 100,000 dirhams for each student, accompanied by a personal letter carrying words of pride and confidence in the future.
The letter addressed to the top students bore congratulations from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, which read: "Our son/daughter — congratulations on your outstanding achievement. We share with you and your family this joy and pride, and we congratulate our homeland on your graduation, which will add a new brick to the journey of growth and prosperity in our beloved country." The gift box was emblazoned with the phrase "We are proud of you… and we are betting on you" — a message affirming the leadership's confidence in the nation's sons and daughters and their role in continuing the march of achievements.
A number of top students expressed their overwhelming happiness at the gift, stressing that its moral value was, for them, greater than its material worth, as it represented direct appreciation from His Highness and a vote of confidence that drives them to continue their journey of excellence.
They said that the words of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid touched them most deeply, affirming that the phrase "We are proud of you… and we are betting on you" represents a great responsibility they will carry with them throughout their university and professional lives, noting that this honour will remain one of the most significant milestones in their educational journey.
They explained that the leadership's attention to high achievers gives students an additional motivation to continue striving and innovating, and affirms that the UAE values its distinguished sons and daughters and believes in their ability to shape the future.
They added that the personal letter accompanying the gift reflected the leadership's keenness to share the joy of achievement with students and their families, stressing that this initiative makes them all the more determined to accomplish new achievements at university and to give back to a homeland that has provided them with every ingredient for success.
They noted that allocating a financial reward of 100,000 dirhams to each outstanding student underscores the high standing that education enjoys in the UAE, and sends a clear message to all students that excellence and diligence are met with appreciation and celebration.
They affirmed that this honour is not the end of the journey of success, but the beginning of a new phase of responsibility, pledging to the leadership to continue excelling and innovating, and to contribute to the development and prosperity that the UAE is witnessing across all fields.